Jill's Journey
by Tomxbackbeatxx
Summary: The Courier wakes up only to remember her name. Wandering The Mojave for her killers, she see's so much evil in the world. She tries to follow her moral compass. Along the way she struggles with intense migraines as her memories come flooding back. Haunted by her past self, she'll need the help of her friends, and that one special someone in her life.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello guys. This is my first Fanfiction ever, and here's chapter one. This is a journey about the female courier finding herself again, seeing how the wasteland is a sad place, trying to follow her moral compass and battling with her past as she dives deep inside herself to remember her past life. Like I said this is my first story I've ever written, so please feel free to comment, critique and offer input and ideas on where this should go. I also would like to thank everyone in advanced for taking the time to read this.**

 **I will try to** **update this weekly, and I will also leave warnings for the more sinister or sultry chapters... So yeah, enjoy guys!**

* * *

Sirens blared all over the place. The sound startling a young girl and forcing her out of a deep slumber. Panic stirred up inside of her. Her heart pounding in her chest. She could hear and feel her pulse inside of her ears. Quickly she jumped out of her bed, and ran to the doorway of her room that connected to her T shaped hallway. She peeked her head out and scanned the hallway for her parents. They were no where to be found. "Mom!" the girl yelled, "Dad!" But there was no answer. Quickly she tried to asses the situation. The sirens... Were they just the smoke detectors? Was there a fire within the house? The girl quickly dismissed that idea. There would be smoke rising to the ceiling. The temperature of the house would be unbearably hot. Quickly she dismissed this idea.  
She walked down the hall toward the stairs and decided to glance outside of her window. Towns people were running in every direction. It was utter chaos. Just as she registered what the sirens were indicating, she heard it. A thundering BOOM assaulted her ear drums followed my what felt like an earthquake under her feet.  
The bombs were falling!

 _ **Oh god. I gotta find mom and dad. No! I don't have time, I need to get to the vault.**_

With that thought, her mind was made up, she would have to make it to the vault. Mom and Dad didn't even bother to get her and take her to safety. Surely she would see them at the vault.  
She tried to remain as calm and collected as she could. She couldn't break now, not under this kind of pressure. Her life depended on it, and running around like a maniac was not going to get her to safety.  
"Blanca! Here girl! Blanca!" She screamed as she made her way down the stairs into the main foyer of the house.  
Slight panic slapped across her face as she realized her dog wasn't coming. She wasn't leaving for the vault without Blanca. She meant too much for her. She began to jog to the backyard to see if she was out there. Down the hall, to the left through the kitchen and to the back door. She slammed the sliding glass door open and began to call Blanca some more.  
"Here girl! Blanca! Blanca where are you?!"  
Nothing. She decided to backtrack through the house. She didn't have time to put shoes on, to get dressed. She ran out the front door, the crisp autumn air slapping across her bare legs, her waist to upper thigh barely protected by her shorts. Her belly short offered little protection from the cool air as well. She ignored the goosebumps rising on her skin and broke out into a sprint. She needed to find Blanca.  
Thats when she heard it. Somehow over the blaring sirens, and the panic ridden residents screaming, she heard Blanca's bark. Quickly she darted across the street and to the right, following the direction of her companions cries.  
She weaved in and out of the sidewalk and weaseled her way through crowds of pedestrians. The dogs cries becoming louder, closer.  
The young woman stopped for a minute, not even realizing it, to admire one of the last moments of mankind. There was a large fire not too far off in the distance. She could see the smoke rising and the dim glow of flames dancing wildly, lighting up the night sky. It was terrifying yet beautiful.  
For a moment time didn't move. Everything stood still.  
Suddenly a whimper could be heard, and it snapped her back to reality. Picking up the pace, she continued to follow the cries.  
Legs moving as fast as possible and arms pumping, her track instincts kicking in, and she was back on track.  
The vault wasn't too far from her, and she was sure she would see Blanca any minute. She would find her, pick her up and then they can start heading towards- Her thought trailed off as she registered what was in front of her eyes.  
Blanca was there, on the floor, crying out in pain. Blood all over the place, all over her. She looked up, saw her owner and let out a whimper. Her chest was moving quickly. Panting the dog cried out once again. The young woman ran over to her, tears filling up in her eyes. She couldn't believe it. Couldn't fathom the fact that people were just running past, not even trying to help a poor, suffering animal.  
She put a hand on Blancas head, and she seemed to calm down a little. She gently tucked a hand underneath the crying pups torso, but to no avail. Blanca let out a scream of pain. The poor thing wasn't going anywhere.  
She had two options at this point: Leave Blanca and head for safety, or stay with her. Human instinct kicked in and told her to make a run for the vault.  
It was decided. The girl kissed her dog, sat down on the grass, and started to hum her faithful companion a tune.  
She lied down next to the dog, put her arm around her and closed her eyes. She felt the tears building up, her head starting to hurt. A tongue made its way across her face, reassuring her of its love.  
Together they laid there, only hearing the tune of her hum. Eyes close, she felt defeated.  
In that instant, a bomb fell close by. She opened her eyes and saw a bright light. Felt the heat growing closer. If she was going to die, it would be on her terms. She was happy she would live her final moments next to Blanca.  
As the blast radius grew closer, she couldn't help but think about her life. How her parents left her when the sirens went off, and how she wasn't ready for it to end like this.  
In an instant. It was over. Fire purged all that was left of her and her dog.

* * *

Pain began to take over, and god did it hurt. The Courier felt as if someone had bashed her head in with a lead pipe. Or a Power Fist. As The Courier opened her eyes, everything was hazy. Her vision blurred even more as she tried to sit up. A hand touched her shoulder, and a soothing voice followed.  
"Whoa, easy there. Easy. You been out for a couple of days now."  
The Courier shifted in the bed, looking around trying to take in the environment.  
"Why don't you just relax a second? Get your bearings."  
His voice was filled with concern. The Courier was confused. What could have happened that she was out for a couple of days? How many days exactly? She decided she was going to ask this man.  
Just as she opened her mouth to say something, she closed it. Perhaps it would be best to wait before she probes him for information.  
"Do you understand me? Can you speak?" The man started.  
"Yes, I believe so." The Courier said. She was shocked at how beautiful her voice sounded. It had a soft, mid pitch to it. It was warm and inviting. Calm and cool. "Well then." The man started. "Let's see what the damage is. How about your name? Can you tell me your name?"  
Puzzled, The Courier didn't know what her name was. She closed her eyes, and focused as hard as she could. Her head began to hurt.  
"Don't strain yourself too much. You took a bullet to the head. It's okay if you don't remember your name. Anyway, I'm Doc Mitchell, and I patched you up." He said.  
"Thank you for that doctor." The Courier said. She meant it. To be shot in the head and survive... He must have been a skilled doctor. Kind too, he didn't know who she was. Most people would just fend for themselves in a wasteland.  
A wasteland! The Courier was so excited that she remembered that they lived in a wasteland. I guess she didn't forget everything. "I do want to remember my name. So if you don't mind doctor. I would like to sit here and think a little longer. It'll give my body time to adjust to being upright also." She was so sure of it.  
The doctor sat there patient. With all of the willpower she could muster up, and concentrated long and hard.

 _ **I think it starts with a J. Jessica? No that's not right. Janet? No, no, not at all. Maybe Jill? That sounds like it fits.  
**_  
"I don't mean to be a bother. I think I know what my name is, can I have a piece of paper and a pen?" She asked. She was sure if she wrote it down and it felt natural, then her name was Jill.  
"Sure thing, give me one second." The doctor got up and walked over to his desk. He rummaged through the drawers, retrieving a pencil, and paper. He also grabbed a binder so she had a flat, stable surface to write on.  
The doctor made his was back over and took a seat next to her. He handed her everything he had retrieved and she could feel his eyes concentrating on the paper.  
With the pencil in hand, she began to write out Jill. It came to her naturally, which wasn't surprising at all. She did have a good feeling that was her name.  
"Jill." The Courier said. "My name is Jill."  
"Well Jill, it's a pleasure to meet you. Where ever you came from, you must have had top notch education. No one out here knows how to write their name cursive like you do, and they don't write as neat either." The doctor chuckled.  
"I wish I could remember, but I guess it'll come back to me in time." Jill said with hope in her eyes. She put her mind to it and figured out her name. She'll be able to figure out everything else. "Let's try and get you out of bed now." The doctor motioned for her to get up, extending his hand out to her.  
Jill accepted his help, and was on her two feet in mere seconds. He motioned for her to follow him into the other room. To the right and through an archway in the door. He ushered her to a couch and motioned for her to sit. She complied.  
Sitting across from her, the doctor took a seat. He began to speak. "I just wanna ask you a few questions before I let you go. It's important to make sure that you're brain isn't damaged and you'll be able to function in society."  
Though his words weren't sugarcoated, she appreciated his honesty and concern. She would answer his questions to the best of her ability.  
Once they finished up, they headed over to his front door. Just as Jill as about to open the door into the wasteland, the doctor stopped her.  
"When they brought you in, these were the items that you had on you. I've also put a couple stimpacks in your bag as well. I would also like to give you my Pip Boy 3000. You'll get more use out of it than I will." Doc Mitchell smiled, handing her everything.  
It was then Jill realized she wasn't dressed. She had been walking around in booty shorts, and a tank top. Her face began to burn. She was embarrassed and it showed.  
The doctor politely turned around while she dressed. While her outfit didn't offer any protection, it was cute and easy to navigate in. She had cowboy boots, that came up mid calf. A skin tight shirt that cut off right above her belly button, and denim shorts. They were snug and accentuated her features. Lastly, she grabbed her hair tie and put her long auburn hair in a messy bun. "I have an old pistol you can have, the wasteland can be a dangerous place, you'll find it in your bag. I also went and logged all your items into the Pip Boy for you." The doctor offered everything he had to her. Jill decided she owed him a debt she couldn't repay. Thanking him, she dug in her bag, grabbed the pistol, and holstered it on her hip. It felt natural, and she instantly knew all about the weapon.  
 _ **  
Have I handled guns before? I mean, I know that I have to cock the chamber after loading a new clip in. They also need to be maintained, and if I find a similar weapon I'm sure I can scavenge whatever parts needed for repairs.**_

She decided she had some type of experience with guns. Maybe she was military? No, she didn't feel like she would be the military type. They have too many rules.  
Digging in her bag a little more, she found a knife. It was the size of a dagger. And easy to conceal in her boot. Perhaps she had some hand to hand combat experience?

 _ **Well lets hope that I don't have to find out.**_

The doctor wished her luck and told her to speak to Sunny Smiles, and that Jill would be able to find her at the Saloon.  
"Before I leave doctor, I had a dream while I was out. I had a dream that I lived in the world, before the war. I heard sirens, people were panicking and bombs were going off everywhere. I was looking for my dog and I found her and she was injured badly. I decided to lay down next to her, and die with her. As the fire from the blast radius reached us, I woke up. Is that some sort of an omen? Do you think it means anything?"  
The doctor didn't know what to say, and it was easy to read by his facial expression. He looked up in the air, as if an answer was going to appear there. Frowning, he apologized and said he didn't know what that meant.  
"Perhaps you've heard stories passed down from you're mother and father about your ancestors life back then. Or maybe you've just read a lot of books about Pre War times and it was your brains way of coping with being shot." That was the best answer she was going to get, and it was good enough for now she supposed. As she turned to leave, the doctor spoke.  
"Sunny Smiles will be able to teach you how to use that gun, and how to survive in the wasteland. Good luck out there." The doctor said as Jill opened the door. It was time to start her long journey.  
As she turned the doorknob, she thanked Doc Mitchell one more time and said her farewells. As the door swung open, the sunlight immediately blinded her. It took a minute for her eyes to adjust. Scanning the area, she saw a small town, a school on a hill, an old gas station, and crops. There were some Brahmin near what she assumed to be a farmer. A quick glance to the left a little and she saw a general store. Next to it was a Saloon. Taking a deep breath, she headed for Sunny Smiles, hoping that the bullet didn't mess up her social skills too much. She didn't want to make a fool of herself.

* * *

Sunny Smiles was sitting in the Saloon. Trudy was the bartender as usual, and some of the patrons were just unwinding after a long day of work. It's been three days since that robot Victor brought that girl to Doc Mitchell.  
Her clothes were full of blood. Strands of her hair tinted red from the blood. Sunny remembers everyone screaming and panicking. Sunny and Trudy gathered as much alcohol as they could that night to give to the Doctor. He would need it to sanitize her wounds. They also brought several bottles of purified water for the Courier. Sunny shook the thoughts from her head. She hadn't heard anything from the doctor about the girl, and her heart bled for her. She was always worried about others, always looked out for them. It was in her nature. Her mother was the same way, and its what got her killed. She gave her life to protect all the townspeople back in the Capital Wasteland. She was a scientist, and thought she died, she will live on forever as a hero. After all she was the one who helped invent the water purifying device that cleaned the radiation from the rivers. Perhaps Sunny would take a walk over to Doc Mitchells house to check on the courier. This was why she was at Goodsprings. She needed to protect people from the harsh realities of the wasteland. It was a shame that a girl so young would be shot in the head. She didn't look any older than Twenty Two. There was a bark and it snapped her out of her thoughts. Cheyenne wanted Sunny's attention. She knelt down and began to scratch her behind the ear. She was the best companion anyone could ever ask for. Tough as hell too. She helped Sunny hunt Gecko's and keep them away from the town. Sunny walked over to Trudy, giving her a warm smile. "Howdy Trudy. Reckon it's gonna be a good day today. Have you heard anything about the courier yet?" Sunny's face was riddled with worry.  
"Not yet hun, but I hope shes okay. Such a young thing that one was."  
Before they could continue their conversation, the door to the Saloon opened, and a woman's voice could be heard.  
"Heloooooo, I'm looking for Sunny Smiles." The voice called.  
Sunny didn't know why someone was looking for her by name, but she figured she would walk over and see who it was.

* * *

Jill was about to call out again, when a woman approached her.  
"Hi, are you Sunny?" Jill asked with smile. "Doc Mitchell told me to come find her. Said she can help me learn how to survive out in the wasteland again."  
The woman smiled back. "Howdy. Sunny Smiles, at your service. And this here is Cheyenne. Don't worry she won't bite."  
Jill knelt down, made a fist, and put her hand out. Cheyenne sniffed her hand, and nudged her. Jill gave her a pat on the head, and called her a good girl.  
"I reckon you've handled animals before, you read her body language and let her make the first move. You sure you can't fend for yourself?"  
Jill shrugged. "I'm not sure honestly. I can't remember. I guess socializing with animals is second nature." Jill smiled. "I think I can fend for myself. I had a dagger in my bag so I'm pretty sure I'm good in a physical fight, but I would still rather be safe than sorry."  
"Meet me out back sugar. Cheyenne and I will be waiting." And with that, Sunny disappeared.  
Jill decided to walk over to the bar before meeting Sunny out back. She took a seat, and grabbed some caps out of her bag.  
"Hi there, I would like a water if you have any." Jill wanted to make sure she would stay hydrated. She didn't need to end up at Doc Mitchell's house again.  
"It's on the house darling. You've been through one hell of a week." Trudy smiled, handing her a couple bottles of water.  
"I insist. You guys have done enough by making sure I lived." Putting the money down on the counter, Jill got up and logged her waters, putting them in her bag. As she was walking away, she heard Trudy cursing the radio.  
Jill walked over, behind the counter and started tinkering with the radio. "I don't mean to be rude darling, but you really shouldn't just walk behind someones counter, they might get the wrong idea and take you for a thief."  
Jill's face turned red and could tell Trudy felt terrible.  
"I'm sorry, I only wanted to help. I think I used to be good with electronics." Jill continued to tinker with the radio. Determined to fix it now so she wouldn't feel like a complete idiot. She couldn't believe how much she forgot about what was acceptable and what wasn't.  
"Don't apologize doll. I didn't mean nothing by it. I was just letting you know so someone else don't get the wrong idea. You're fine, no need to be embarrassed." Trudy's comment made Jill feel better.  
Within a couple of seconds, the radio flickered to life. Trudy thanked her profusely and offered her caps as a payment, but Jill declined.  
"Just call it even for the water." A smile painted across her face.  
Now it was time to meet Sunny and see what she had to teach. She took a water out of her bag, took a sip and made her way outside.

 _ **I'm a survivor. I'll figure this out. If I have to ask for help along the way then so be it. I'm not ashamed, especially if it increases my chances of living.**_


	2. Chapter 2

**Alright guys. I know I said I was going to update this weekly, but I've just been so excited that I had to do another chapter! So here you go. Chapter 2. In this chapter we explore a little bit of Jill's fighting abilities. There's a chance that a love interest can start here too. Jill's finally doing some good for the wasteland.**

 **Again I would just like to thank everyone who took the time to read Chapter 1, and have been looking forward to reading some more.**

 **So without further rambling, I present to you. Chapter 2.**

* * *

It wasn't hard to find Sunny behind the Saloon. There she waited for Jill, Cheyenne right by her side. They seemed good together.  
It reminded Jill of her dream, of the dog she loved so much that she was willing to die next to it. She longed for a companion like that.  
She assumed that was how Sunny felt about Cheyenne.  
With a smile and wave, Sunny picked up a rifle leaning on the fence and held it out for Jill.

"Take this. It's not much, and its old but it'll get the job done." Sunny insisted.

Jill accepted the gift with a smile on her face. She noted how worn down the old battered rifle was. It was obvious its previous owner didn't care for it properly. Looking down the sights, Jill could tell this gun was going to need some serious work. They used a screw to align the sights for gods sake. She would be better off with her pistol. Not wanting to be rude, she holstered the weapon on her back. She would repair it when she had a chance. At least it had a far better range than the pistol.

"Thank you for the rifle, Sunny. I'll be sure to put it to good use." Jill winked and offered a smile.

Sunny appeared to be blushing and Jill realized what she just did. How could she be so stupid? She just flirted with the woman.

 _ **Was I into women? Or am I just naturally friendly?**_

Deciding on the latter, she would make a mental note to herself. She had to make sure she didn't lead people on or give them false signals.

"Alright." Sunny started. "I set some Sarsaparilla bottles up across from us. I want you to take that rifle there, aim, and shoot the bottles as best as you can. Sometimes crouching also helps with your aim, so keep that in mind. You want a steady aim when trying to snipe a target from far."

Jill shouldered the weapon, making sure she had a good grip on it. She took a deep breath, and shot. The first shot hit the bottle dead center, glass exploding all over the place. In an instant she was cocking the bolt and firing another round. Glass scattered all over the floor. Before she knew it, all seven bottles were destroyed, every bullet hitting its mark.

"Damn, you're a good shot. I reckon you were a sniper before…. Well, you know." Sunny didn't want to offend the courier.

"I think you're right. I know my way around a gun." Pausing for only a second, Jill continued. " But I think I'm good with close quarters combat too. I had a dagger on me when I was brought to the doctor. He was nice enough to give it back."

"It's a good skill to have, but lets hope you won't have the need to find out. I know I wouldn't want any raiders getting close enough to have to stab them." Sunny couldn't help but chuckle. "So now that I know you can shoot, I could use your help. Cheyenne and I are going to the water pumps near town to clear out some Gecko's. I reckon it'll be good practice for you, and I'll pay you some caps for your work."

Jill nodded in agreement. Having Sunny and Cheyenne there would be a good time to test her skills. If she wasn't able to defend herself, she at least knew Sunny would keep her safe until they got back into town.  
Jill nodded in agreement and Sunny motioned for her to follow.

It wasn't a far walk, although the heat from the Mojave did make it uncomfortable. Jill couldn't stop looking around. She was amazed that there was nothing but sand, aside from a few trees that looked dead. The land here was barren. Jill bumped right into Sunny, and apologized profusely for not paying attention.

"It's alright. It's like seeing everything for the first time again. Now right around this corner here is where the water pumps are. The Geckos are there too. Now, lets see you in action. Oh and remember, if you sneak up on them you can take them out before they even notice you."

Jill rolled her eyes, mentally of course. It was common sense if something didn't notice you that you would have the element of surprise. She had to remind herself that Sunny couldn't read minds. There was no way to tell what she was able to remember. She was more intelligent than people were giving her credit for, and although it bothered her she would just brush it off. Sunny was just being helpful.

Jill dropped into a crouch and began closing the distance between her and her foe quickly. She could see two Geckos but something told her to scout the area a little bit more.

 _ **It's your instincts Jilly. Just listen to your gut. It's never failed you before.**_

Shocked that she remembered that she always trusted them, she quickly scanned the water pumps.  
A smile made its way across her face as she spotted a third Gecko. Readying her rife, she looked down the sights, aimed right between the largest Geckos eyes, and pulled the trigger. The Geckos body went limp instantly, falling to the floor. Jill quickly cocked the bolt of the rifle and fired a second shot. It hit its mark and another Gecko was on the floor, its body convulsing as what little life it had left its body. The last Gecko spotted her, and bolted towards her.

 _ **You're going down Gecko. I'm on a roll.**_

As she cocked the bolt, her rifle jammed. Panic rose inside of her as she saw the beast closing the distance between them fast.  
Like an animal, her feral instincts kicked in. She slid her hand down her leg, grabbing the dagger from her boot. Her hands knew exactly what to do as they flipped the dagger into the air, grabbing the bladed end of it. Jill thrust her hand out, flicking her wrist as she let go of the knife. Seconds later she heard the Gecko cry as the dagger made contact with its chest—and it was still running after her! Just as it was about to grab her, Jill swung around, roundhouse kicking it in the head. As it fell to the ground Jill wasted no time getting on top of it and grabbing the dagger. It's body went limp as her blade connected with its skull, blood beginning to pool around its lifeless body.  
She heard Sunny and Cheyenne running over.

"Damn girl. That was intense. I thought for sure I was gonna have to take that one out, but you grabbed that knife and threw it so fast, I couldn't help but stare in shock. And that roundhouse kick, man, was that awesome!" Sunny said obviously amazed.

Jill didn't say anything. She just stared at the lifeless Gecko on the ground. She had killed it with her bare hands. She was afraid at first, when she left with Sunny on this mission. But now, she was confident in her self defense abilities. Before she could think some more, Sunny said something and broke her train of thought.

"There are just two more pumps to clear. We're making great time, so lets move on to the next."

* * *

Sunny couldn't believe Jill's skill. She was one hell of a shot. Possibly one of the best that she has ever seen. The way she was able to creep around without making a sound. Her almost inhuman aim, and the lack of delay for her to react and readjust to a situation. It was something right out of one of Sunny's favorite books. Jill reminded her of a highly trained spy. Someone who could charm their way out of any situation, and if things got hairy, she could defend herself.

 _ **Oh come on Sunny, now you're just being ridiculous. Spies didn't exist anymore. This woman clearly taught herself self defense for a reason. Maybe she just came from Freeside. God knows she would need to know how to watch out for herself. A pretty thing like that would be easy picking for the creeps and chem addicts out in the world.**_

Sunny couldn't help but admire Jill. She was maybe five feet, seven inches tall. She was slim, with nice hips, a cute butt, C cup breasts and thick thighs. All of which accentuated her hourglass figure. Sunny also admired her fitness. She had abs and nice calf muscle. She was able to keep up with Sunny even though she just woke up a couple hours ago after getting shot in the head. This girl had spunk.

It only took forty minutes for them to clear out the all the water pump stations. Jill even noticed a towns person being attacked by some stray Geckos and managed to take them all out. The settler was so thankful she gave them some bottles of purified water. Jill downed her water quickly and refilled the bottle at the last pump.

They made it back to town just in time to walk in on an argument in the Saloon. Sunny heard Trudy insulting some man, refusing to cooperate with him. As they rounded the corner to the lounging area, Sunny's stomach felt like it fell out through her ass.

The damn Powder Gangers were here. They wanted to get to Ringo, she was sure of it. Well it wouldn't happen,. These pricks would have to get through her.

"I don't know what you want, but Goodsprings won't be a part of it." Sunny hissed. " We keep to ourselves and we plan on keeping it that way."

"Well if you won't cooperate and hand over that man you're harboring, then we'll be back. And when we come back, there wont be a town left to keep to themselves." The sadistic man said with a smile.

"We don't know who you're talking about. There's no man taking refuge in our town. Just a woman who was shot in the head. Now if you have nothing else to say, I suggest you leave. Cheyenne is hungerin' for an arm to gnaw on." Sunny clearly wasn't in the mood for this.

Sunny watched as the man left, cursing the town, and her as he took his leave. With a sigh, Sunny knew what had to be done. She would have to prepare the town for war. The Powder Gangers would be coming, and with a lot of dynamite. This would be a good time to have an NCR outpost in town.

* * *

Jill didn't like that mans tone. Nor did she like the threats he made. She talked to Trudy and Sunny to offer a helping hand. They suggested that she go speak to Ringo, the man the gang of hoodlums was after.  
She made her way over to the abandoned gas station, where she met Ringo and told him that she wanted to help him. They came up with a plan to defend the town, Ringo offering to help as well. After all, it had been his fault they were in this mess. Ringo told her to go talk to Trudy to see what could be done about the town and its defenses. She set off for the Saloon again, offering Ringo a warm smile before she left.

 _ **It's a shame someone would want to harm him. He seemed nice. Attractive too. Guess there's more to his story than he's letting on.**_

Trudy suggested that she talk to the shopkeeper and Dynamite Pete. Doc Mitchell too. If the threat was real, they would need as much medical supplies as they can for the aftermath.  
Doc Mitchell was easy enough to convince. All Jill had to do was quiver her lip, and give him puppy dog eyes. She supposed it was wrong to use her sex appeal to persuade the doctor, but it was for the good of the town. Without those supplies there could be a lot of injured townspeople who would die for sure. Now to pay the towns shop a visit.

The General Store was pretty bland inside. Dust covered the shelves and floor. To the right there was a shovel leaning up against a wall. To the left were a bunch of books. There was a decent amount of food stocked in the center of the room. The containers looked like they used to house frozen goods.  
Chet looked up at the sound of the door closing behind her. He offered no smile, nor a greeting. She could tell he wasn't going to be easy to persuade. Jill needed to get him to agree to lend the townsfolk some leather armor for the upcoming battle.

 _ **Jesus, could this guy appear any less friendly?**_

Taking a deep breath, Jill approached the counter. She studied Chet as best as she could. He stood there, arms crossed, eyeing the courier down. He had a smirk on his face, and Jill decided she didn't care for his body language.

"How can I help you." His tone flat and unemotional.

 _ **Ugh. This guy just irks me. Strikes me as a creep. I'll have to make a mental note not to associate with him much. I'm surprised he's even in this town. Everyone else is so friendly.**_

"Um.. Yes. My names Jill. I was the courier who was shot and left for dead. Sunny was giving me some tips on how to survive on my own in the wasteland and long story short when we got back to town we overheard a Powder Ganger threaten to wage war on Goodsprings. We need your help. I was told you could supply the town with armor and ammunition." Jill hoped this was enough for Chet to lend his help.

"Sure I'll help, but it'll cost you."

 _ **Pfft. Typical asshole. Extorting this town for his own profit.**_

"You do realize you'll be a target for them as well right?" She hoped he would listen to reason.

"And you realize nothing in this world is for free, right? You need ammo and supplies, and I need caps. Sounds like a fair trade to me." He spat.

"Really?" Her sarcasm very obvious. "I never would have guessed armor and ammo cost money." Her annoyance was written all over her face.

"Now, now. Having an attitude isn't how you get what you want." A smug smile sat on his face.

"You're an asshole. Everyone in this town has been really nice to me since I've woken up. I've been given a chance at life again because of what these people did for me. They took care of me, gave me supplies and asked for nothing in return. Unlike you, I actually give a shit about other people, especially good people. But I guess you could care less. If you don't care enough to help your fellow neighbors, just know that when they Powder Gangers come running, I won't be defending you or your establishment. With that said, you can go fuck yourself." The anger radiated off her.  
Jill turned and made her way toward the exit.

"Hold up." Chet said quickly. "I'll help. For free too! I like the people in this town, and they're not the ones who wronged me. They know my past and don't take the way I act personally but you're the first person to call me out on it. You didn't betray me. Heck, I don't even know you from a bottle of Nuka Cola. Forgive me."

He seemed genuine, and Jill supposed she shouldn't have flipped out the way she did. But then again, he was being selfish and rude.

 _ **I've still got it. I can remember always getting what I wanted. So far, that's held true to this life too.**_

Satisfied with her victory, she made her way over to Dynamite Pete.

She found him sitting outside of the Saloon. Rocking back and forth in his chair. His hair grey, face wrinkled. It was clear he was in his 60's and had a lot of knowledge to offer.  
Studying him, she realized that he wouldn't hand any dynamite over to someone without basic demolitions knowledge. He was the proud sort. Held his head high and knew his stuff. Still though, she needed to try.

"Hi there, are you Dynamite Pete?" She asked?

"The one and only. How can I help you little lady?" He said with a warm smile.

"The Powder Gangers are coming to attack the town, and I was wondering if you could lend me some of your dynamite to help out." She hoped this would be enough, but was sure that it wouldn't be.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that. I won't be responsible for you blowing yourself up." A frown on his face.  
He must have sensed her doubt. He read her body language like a book, if that was the case.

"Look. I don't mean to be rude. I just want to protect the town. How hard can it be honestly? I light the fuse, and throw the dynamite. As long as I make sure to throw it before the fuse runs out, I won't blow myself up." She said with pride. She was glad she knew that much.

"I appreciate the effort to reassure me, but I just can't. I don't know you enough, and I hope you won't take it personally. I don't even know if you're really on our side." His words hurt.

"I don't expect you to trust me. I don't even blame you for not trusting me. However, this town is in trouble and we need all the help we can get. If you can't find it in your heart to lend me your dynamite, then maybe you can lend it to someone you do trust, like Sunny. Trudy even. Stand up and fight for the town you call home. I know you're a man of many years and I respect that you have the towns best interest at heart, but they need your help. We need it." Pleading, she folded her hands. "I beg of you. I can't let the town that nursed me back to health get destroyed."

She hoped that could be enough. After all this was a man she could respect. She was a stranger and he wasn't about to hand her explosives that could be used against the town.

"I'll help. You won't get my dynamite, but these old bones won't just sit around while these hoodlums attack this town."

Thanking the man, she decided she could ask one more person to help. Victor.

Victor wasn't hard to find, he was just rolling about town with his cowboy face projected on his screen. He agreed to help instantly and it put Jill at ease. Having a securitron on their side would definitely even the odds.

 _ **Shit. I don't even know how many guys they have on their side. Maybe we'll get lucky and only a handful of Powder Gangers will show up.**_

Jill held on to this thought as she made her way to Trudy and Sunny to let them know that everyone agreed to help out. This was going to be a tough battle. A gang of dynamite wielding, bullet proof vest wearing criminals attacking a helpless town. Jill hoped that Sunny and Pete could hold their own like she could.

* * *

Ringo was happy to hear everyone was willing to help defend him. Just as he was about to thank Jill, Sunny stormed through the door.

"They're here!" Her panicked voice breaking.

Just as quickly as she had come in, she left. The courier followed right behind her. Running silently. Perhaps this girl would make it on her own after all.

 _ **Being able to run without making a sound is talent. This girl never ceases to amaze me. Maybe I'll tag along with her after this is over and help her out along the way.**_

Ringo snapped himself out of his thoughts and made his way to the town. As he followed the girls, he saw the Powder Gangers closing the distance as well. They were all screaming and holding up dynamite in their hands. They were savages.  
It was then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw the courier. She crouched down, aimed her rifle and fired. Her shot connected with one of the gang members faces, and his body dropped to the ground. She quickly cocked the bolt, not wasting any time before firing again.

 _ **Jesus Christ she's got deadly aim. He was at least half a mile away from her. She's getting sexier by the minute. She has a nice ass, looked even better when she crouched down. Her breasts jiggled slightly as the gun recoiled, and her skin was nice and tan. Her hair in a sloppy bun, strands hanging loose here and there. She looked like a goddess. She was definitely my type.**_

 **BOOM.** An explosion sent limbs flying all over the place, and Ringo was relieved to see Dynamite Pete lighting another stick and throwing it. He just took out three different gang members.  
Ringo could still see five more people. Sunny and Cheyenne were double teaming a gang member. Cheyenne was biting his arm, causing a distraction as Sunny let loose a hail of bullets from her rifle. Trudy was hiding behind a boulder, firing blindly with a beat up 9mm pistol.

He ran over to her, taking cover behind the boulder as well. He peeked around the corner and saw movement. He saw the NCR armor and opened fire. Three rounds slammed into the mans leg causing him to drop to the ground. The fourth round drilled a hole right between his eyes.  
A Powder Ganger spotted him and opened fire. He appeared to be the only one with a gun. Ring didn't want to get shot, so he ducked behind his cover. Trudy began to scream, and Ringo knew he was pinned down. If he dared a look around the corner he would be shot. He couldn't risk it.

 _ **This town went through all this trouble to save me. I can't die now. If I do, then everything they've just prepared for was for nothing.**_

Ringo didn't know what to do. So he just continued to keep his body pressed against the rock. Someone had to take down that Ganger, and fast.

* * *

Jill saw a Ganger open fire on Ringo and Trudy. They were pinned behind a boulder. At least they had some cover. Quickly Jill had to think of what she could do.

 _ **I can fire at him. If I miss, then I have no cover to hide behind. Maybe I can sneak up behind him and slit his throat.  
**_

Opting for the latter, Jill flanked the Ganger. He was the last one left. She motioned for everyone to hold fire, holding up a fist. Just as she hoped, everyone understood the signal. She crept up from behind, and went to draw her dagger. It wasn't in her boot.

 _ **Shit.**_

She wouldn't have time to draw her weapon. She had to act fast. She grabbed his skull, and twisted his head. With a crack and a snap, the Ganger's body dropped.  
It was finally over.  
Jill let her guard down and turned to face Ringo. He had a thankful look on his face, and gave her a thumbs up. The townspeople all gathered around her, cheering and chanting. It was a victory for them all. The Powder Gangers would definitely be on the look out for her from now on. She made a mental note of that, deciding to be cautious until they arrived at Primm.  
Suddenly she heard movement and saw one last Ganger running at Ringo. Jill charged toward Ringo and pushed him out of the way. The Ganger swung his machete and Jill dodged it as best as she could. She leaped back, sucking her stomach in and the tip of the blade made contact with her skin. Blood began to trickle down her abdomen. He swung again, and she ducked this time. The blade narrowly missing her head. She heard the swoosh from the swing. Jill was paying attention to the machete and didn't see the kick that came next. The Ganger knocked her on the ground and brought his machete down. Jill rolled out of the way just in time. She grabbed his wrist, wrapping her legs around his arm and twisted her thighs. His arm snapped and she tightened her grip as she brought her legs close to her. In an instant the Ganger was flipped over her and onto the ground. She quickly got up and kicked him in the ribs, and was sure she broke two or three of them. She brought her heel down to his neck, and rested her foot there. The man squirmed under her boot and she applied more pressure.

"Why did you attack this town?" She questioned.

"Fuck you, bitch." He spat at her, blood splashing on her leg.

Jill bent down, making sure her foot was still on his neck, and picked up his machete. She played with it in her hands. Sliding her finger up and down the blade to test its sharpness.

"I'm surprised at how well maintained this is. Tell me, did you just sharpen it?" Her voice timid.

"I'm not afraid of you. Just kill me already."

"I don't think so. I believe in an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. You cut me, and now I'm gonna cut you." She said, lowering the machete to his abdomen.  
With a little bit of pressure, and a slow swipe of the blade, she was rewarded with blood. The Ganger screamed out in pain, clenching his jaw.

"Talk, or it just gets worse from here. You already have a broken arm." She was serious about getting information out of this man. Goodsprings didn't do anything to provoke this. She was sure of it. "I just want to know why Goodsprings was your target."

"It's a town that has good soil, trade caravans come through here, and a fresh water supply. We want to leave the old Corrections Facility. And make our way across the Mojave. Everyone was supposed to feel our wrath. But you went and fucked it all up." The man was obviously telling the truth.

"Fair enough. I'm going to grant you the gift of life, as it was granted to me after being shot in the head. However, there are stipulations to this gift. You will go back to your gang, and tell them Goodsprings is out of the question. If I so much as hear of a Powder Ganger within one mile of this place, I will hunt you all down." Jill's tone now stern. "Now get out of here before I change my mind. And you're not getting this machete back."

The Powder Ganger quickly got up and ran off, not even daring to glance back. Victor was nowhere to be found, and she would have to find him and figure out why he wasn't here to help. He could have saved her from a slash to her stomach. But for now, she had to speak to the townspeople.

"We did it guys. They won't be bothering you anymore. This is my way of repaying you for saving my life and nursing me back to health. You have all been wonderful, and extremely helpful. You made sure I had weapons, stimpacks, and caps for the long journey ahead of me. And even though I helped you out in return I still feel as though I can never truly repay your debt."

Everyone cheered, chanting her name. Claps were heard all throughout the town, and they were sure to be celebrating tonight.

"Alright guys, lets clean up this mess. We will search their bodies for whatever they have, and equally share the loot." Sunny said.

Jill nodded in agreement, and as the town and herself began looting the bodies and piling them up. She couldn't help but feel like she could do some real good for the wasteland.

The cleanup didn't take long and Jill made her way over to Victors hut. Sunny and Ringo said they would be waiting for her at the Saloon, they wanted to speak to her before she left. She opened the door to the hut and saw Victor just standing in place, his screen black. She mustered up a hushed hello, and the robot flickered to life.

"Sorry about that Miss Courier. Someone hacked my systems and turned me offline. I reckon they didn't want me to get involved." He claimed.

"Jill. It's Jill. And that's alright, we managed to save the town."

"Oh my! What happened to your stomach? Why, you're bleeding. You do know you're bleeding right?" The robot was concerned.

"Yeah, got in a tough situation back there but I managed to keep it together and avoid the worst of it."

 _ **Don't be modest. You kicked ass girl. You got some serious moves hidden away inside this head of you.**_

With nothing left to discuss with Victor, she needed to get back to Sunny and Ringo, but first she would stop at Doc Mitchell's house and get patched up.

The doctor didn't take long to patch her up. When she got to the Saloon, Sunny and Ringo were waiting for her.

"Jill." Sunny started. "The cemetery up the hill is where Victor found you. I don't know if you want to go there but it might give you some clues to the men who did this to you."

Suddenly, Jills head felt like it was going to explode. The pain was nauseating. She was going to barf.

"Are you okay? You look like you're in pain." Ringo's voice was concerned.

"Yeah, just a little headache." She lied.

"Well we saw a couple men leave the cemetery that night Victor brought you to us. They came down to the bar, and one of the men was wearing a checkered suit. I'm sure it was them who shot you. They said they were heading to Primm." Sunny said with concern. "Do be careful if you're thinking of pursuing them. They aren't the type of men to talk first and shoot later."

"I'm going with you Jill. I have a debt to repay." Ringo said. He was insistent with his world.

Jill nodded her head in agreement.

 _ **It would help to have another person with me. He could pick up the slack where I fall short. And it would make this trip less lonely.**_

"There's also an abandoned school up the hill." Sunny started." No one's been near there on account of the Giant Mantis that are surrounding it. You could search there for some things. There's a safe inside that you can unlock if you know how to use a terminal. If not, then here are some bobby pins so you can pick the lock."

Sunny handed Jill a screwdriver and ten bobby pins.  
It was almost 10pm and Jill was feeling tired. They would stay for one more night. Ringo's hideout seemed roomy enough for the two.  
She ran the idea by Ringo, and he was more than happy to agree. Whatever they needed to do, it could wait until tomorrow. For now though, they needed rest. They would wake up early, head to the graveyard, and scavenge the school. After that, it was time to head out to Primm. She was going to find this man, and when she did, she was sure that she was going to hurt him before killing him.


	3. Chapter 3

**I would just like to take a moment to shout out the two reviewers I had. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing. I'm making an effort to proof read everything better so there are less mistakes, but I'm glad that didn't stop you guys from enjoying this story. Jill is definitely a bad ass and I'm glad that you love that. There's a lot more I want to say but I don't want to ramble and bore everyone.**

 **So once again, thank you guys for the support and reviews. Thank you for enjoying this story and taking the time to read it. And lets see where things go.**

 **In this chapter, we run into Cass, see a potential love interest develop and see Jill struggle with a memory she wishes to forget. I hope you all enjoy.**

* * *

Ringo cursed himself when he realized there wasn't an extra mattress for Jill. They would have to share a bed, and if she didn't like that idea then he would just have to sleep on the floor. Even though he had been through enough crap in the last couple of days, she had been through worse. Sure his caravan was raided, his guards killed and he was hunted down but that was nothing compared to Jill's story. She was gunned down, buried and left for dead. She was like a Goddess. She rose from the dead and automatically put the people of Goodsprings above everything else. She was a good person, she didn't deserve what happened to her.

Ringo caught himself lost in his own thoughts as he admired her. She was a little shorter than him. Tanned skin told him that she traveled a lot, or worked on a farm maybe. Her hair hung loose, straight as can be. Its length was about mid back, her bangs feathered into her hair at the cheekbone. Her lips looked soft, luscious even. Her eyebrows were thin and well groomed. Her eyes were beautiful. They were a bright green, complimented by her complexion. Her eyelashes were long, and as she blinked, he felt himself being seduced by them.

"Are you even listening to me?" She yelled.

Ringo was brought back to reality. "I'm sorry. I was just admiring… Er.. Amazed by your combat skills."

"It's alright." Jill paused, looking as if she was trying to think of something to say.

"So what's the game plan for the morning?" He prayed that wasn't what she was saying before. If it was then she was sure to be upset with him.

"So you really weren't paying attention." She laughed. "In the morning we're gonna head to the cemetery. See if those guys left anything behind that might help us in our search. Then I was gonna head over to the school house and see if I can crack that safe. While I'm doing that I was wondering if you could go and buy some supplies for us."

"Sounds like a plan to me, but couldn't you get the supplies after the school house? I'm not exactly sure what you consider a necessity." Ringo was trying to word it right. He didn't know if she needed any feminine hygiene products or what kind of food she liked.

"I don't think I'm any good with bartering. Chet comes off as a man who lets caps run his life. I don't want him to upcharge me for things. You had a caravan so I figure that's your department." Smiling, she continued. "Plus it'll save us some time."

She was right. He was one hell of a trader and Chet did seem like the type to charge extra. He offered her a nod and she quickly changed the subject. Asking him about his caravan, where he grew up, his interests. She wanted to get to know him.

 _ **This is the first time a woman has been genuinely interested in me. It feels nice.**_

And with that thought, he told her everything. What his childhood was like. How his parents were murdered when he was eleven. About the woman who sheltered him and hid him when the Legion raided their settlement. He told her about Novac and the giant dinosaur that was the towns mascot.

They stood up for a while, just chatting about him. He tried to ask her questions about herself, but she would just shrug and say she didn't remember. He told her about some of the tasty food hes eaten, to which she said she wanted to try them all. She told him she got headaches a lot, but thinks its due to the gunshot. She had asked him to reteach her the appropriate things to do when in public, and asked for a little guidance. So he told her everything he knew, even when it came to sexual behavior, to which she replied that she remember that much. Still though, he wanted to make sure she wouldn't expose herself unknowingly. They laughed a lot and Ringo really enjoyed her company. He was glad he decided to stay and tag along with her.

 _ **This is dangerous. I can really fall for her. I better be careful. There's just something about her. I'm drawn to her like a moth to a flame.**_

* * *

Jill was thankful that Ringo was tagging along with her. They talked for hours before they realized it was 3 a.m. and time for bed. She set her alarm on her Pip Boy for 8:30 a.m.  
There was only one bed for them, and Jill was fine with that. It was cool in the Mojave at night and Ringo offered some extra warmth. She still couldn't get the image of The Strip out of her head. He had told her about all the neon signs. The wasted citizens stumbling around at night, trying to find their way around. He even mentioned the prostitutes that offered their services.

 _ **Not that I will be indulging myself in their services.**_

Jill chuckled to herself at the thought. Why would anyone want to pay for sex? She wasn't one to knock anyone down for what they did, but not everyone had that attitude. Perhaps they just didn't care what anyone else thought.  
Jill wanted to see The Strip. She wanted to gamble, try their fine cuisine and party the night away. She wanted to visit all the clubs that New Vegas had to offer. She wanted to go dancing, and to wear a pretty red dress. She craved the excitement that Ringo built up.

Jill realized at that moment she could do whatever she wanted. She wasn't held down, glued in place by her past life. She had a clean slate, and she could do with herself whatever she pleased. Maybe she would become a mercenary. Maybe she would settle down and start a farm somewhere. She could even save up and see about becoming a business partner on The Strip. The possibilities were endless.

In that moment, she made her first choice as a new woman. She wanted to sleep. Her eyes were heavy. As she closed her eyes, she snuggled closer to Ringo, and imagined what it would be like to walk through The Strip for the first time.

* * *

Ringo shifted in his sleep and it woke Jill up. She glanced at the time on her Pip Boy and realized they had overslept! It was already 10 a.m.  
Jill bolted up and shook Ringo.

"Wake up! We overslept." Jill was in a panic.

Ringo opened his eyes and just glared at her. "Do you really have to scream?" He questioned.

Jill turned red as she realized she overreacted. She offered him a quick apology, and they gathered their things.

Jill was rushing, and Ringo was doing his best to keep up with her pace. They reached the cemetery pretty fast and Jill scanned it. There were Bloatflies everywhere. She drew her pistol, as did Ringo. They each took a side, and eliminated the flying threat quickly. Jill turned to see Ringo with a knife. When she asked what he was doing, he tilted his head to the side, as if confused.

Jill shook her head. "I'm confused." She admitted. "I'm not sure what you're doing right now."

Ringo explained that they needed to gather the meat and hides from the critters they kill. They could cook the meat, and sell the hides. Jill nodded in agreement.

 _ **Skinning the animals and selling their hides would make us a profit. We could definitely use the Caps.**_

Jill reached for her boot and stopped. She forgot she lost her dagger. She asked Ringo to pick her up a new one when he visited Chet. As Ringo searched the Bloatflies, Jill found her empty grave. She stood there, unable to move. Time stood still and her head hurt. Suddenly, a memory came crashing over her and she wasn't in the graveyard anymore. She was standing in a crumbled city. Rubble and debris littered the streets. There were papers scattered all over the floor. Cement steps to her left and a decaying building to the right. When she looked forward, she froze. There was a giant creature – a Super Mutant – and it was coming directly towards her. She put her arms up to block her face as it charged at it. Just as she was about to scream, it was over. She was back in the graveyard.

Ringo had a hand placed on her shoulder, and she determined that was what brought her back to reality. She looked at him, his face concerned.  
Sighing, she told him of her memory.

 _ **Or was it a vision? It was so real. I was standing there.**_

Jill hoped that all her memories wouldn't be like that. She'd never seen a Super Mutant before… Not since waking up at least.

After a quick search of her old grave, she looked a Ringo. "Well, all we learned was that one of them smoke. It's not much, but its something."

Ringo agreed, and Jill decided she was gonna look around a little more.

After a little searching, she managed to find some bobby pins and a snowglobe. As they were leaving, Jill asked Ringo what would help with a headache. He said some Broc Flower would help, but she would have to boil it in water to make a tea. Luckily they found some Broc Flowers at the cemetery. As they duo split up, Ringo wished Jill luck with the schoolhouse.

* * *

The door to Goodsprings General Store opened easily, and Ringo scanned the building. He saw Chet standing behind the register and made his way over to him.

 _ **Chet seems nice enough. Maybe haggling with him won't be so hard.**_

Ringo fished inside of his bag, and pulled out a couple Bloatfly eggs. He hoped they would be worth something. He knew they were worth about 10 Caps an egg. Chet offered him 4 Caps each. After a little haggling, he brought it up to 7 Caps, and a discount on anything he purchased during this visit.

 _ **Man, Jill called it. This guy loves Caps more than himself. No wonder she wanted me to deal with him.**_

Feeling satisfied, he purchased a couple stimpacks, some food and plenty of water. Primm was only a couple hours away, but Ringo followed one motto: Better safe than sorry. Worst case scenario, they didn't have to buy food for a while. He also bought some 9mm and 5.56 ammo. Pleased with the prices, Ringo finished up with Chet. They had about 237 Caps left. It wasn't much, but it was enough. They would have to do some serious hunting to earn more money.

Ringo sat outside of the Saloon and made small talk with Easy Pete. Why Jill was calling him Dynamite Pete, he didn't know.

 _ **Probably because he hoards dynamite. It's a fitting nickname, I'll give her that.**_

A half hour passed by and Ringo began to worry about Jill. They were supposed to meet here after she cracked that safe. Maybe she ran into some trouble. Just as Ringo was about to get up, he saw Jill running towards him. She was smiling. She must have opened the safe.

Jill showed him what she found in the safe. It held ammo, stimpacks and a stealthboy. She also managed to find some snacks littered throughout the classroom. She also told him about the Giant Mantis she ran into, and she looted some of their legs to fry. Ringo was pleased that she listened to him when he suggested searching their enemies.

Ringo and Jill made their way around town, saying goodbye to everyone who had helped them. Jill promised Sunny and Trudy she would come back to visit and find a way to repay them for their kindness. When they tried to convince her she already repaid them, she claimed it was nonsense.

With nothing left to do, they headed out towards the I-15. Prim was south of where they were. The courier checked her Pip Boy to make sure they were heading in the right direction. The back and forth banter between the duo would make the trip a lot less boring.

* * *

As they approached Primm, an NCR officer approached them. Jill eyed him with caution. She didn't know the NCR, but she didn't trust them.

"Primm's off limits. Keep it moving. Convicts are running around and have taken over the town." The man called.

"We can handle ourselves. We have business in Primm." Jill replied. She wasn't going to let him stop her from getting answers.

"It's your ass, not mine. You've been warned. Talk to Lieutenant Hayes if you want to know more about the situation." With that being said, the officer turned around and continued his patrol of the underpass.

Jill didn't care for Hayes. He was lazy and full of excuses. When she had asked him why he wasn't defending the town, he simply replied that they didn't have enough men. Jill wasn't going to get anywhere with this man. She would have to take care of the convicts herself. Thankfully, Ringo was on the same page.

Just as Jill began to make her way across the makeshift bridge to Primm Ringo grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"There are mines on the ground. Watch where you step." He informed her as he pointed to the mines.

"Thanks, I almost blew myself up. I don't know much about these things though." She admitted.

"Leave it to me. I'm a secret demolitions expert." He winked and bent down.

 _ **Good thing he's with us. I guess we both have our individual strong points. He might not be good with combat, but he saved my ass.**_

It didn't take Ringo long to disarm the traps, and they managed to take out the two convicts patrolling the town. They had snuck up on them, each picking a target. Jill gave Ringo the closer one, seeing as how her rifle had better range. They determined the convicts would be inside of the Vikki and Vance Casino. After all, that's where anything worth looting would be.

As everyone in the town held them at gunpoint, Jill felt embarrassed.

 _ **Guess you were wrong. Where the hell would they go if they didn't want to rob the casino?**_

It wasn't hard to convince everyone they were here to help. Johnson Nash stepped forward and spoke for everyone. Jill told him why she was there and he offered her a deal. If she rescued Deputy Beagle and took care of the convicts, he would answer her questions. He told her that he ran the Mojave Express. Wanting more than anything to figure out her past, she agreed.

Getting into the Steve and Bison hotel was easy enough, but there were two convicts watching the door. The gunshots were loud and echoed throughout the whole building. Jill was sure they alerted everyone and her and Ringo took cover behind the front desk. They waited for a couple minutes, but no one showed up.

 _ **Either we got lucky, or they think the threat is gone. That or they're deaf.**_

Deciding it was safe, Jill fixed her attention on the terminal that sat dormant on the desk. She powered it to life, and cursed as she saw it was locked. Ringo nudged her out of the way and hacked the terminal effortlessly. He commanded it to unlock the door to their left. It opened with a loud click. Jill readied her pistol and Ringo opened the door. She stepped in and did a quick sweep, looking for a person to train her pistol on. She noticed a safe and made her way over to it. Ringo searched the room for goods and valuables. Jill cracked the safe open and rummaged through it. There was a pistol, some ammo, stimpacks and caps.

There wasn't much in the room aside from some snacks and loose caps. They made their way to the lobby, and scanned the room. To the left were rooms. In front of them, two doors as well. Both leading to the same room. Jill opted to search the closer two rooms. She found a safe inside the one closest to them, but the lock was broken. Someone must have tried to force it. Deciding there wasn't anything else of use in the room, she made her way to the second door. It was locked and she couldn't pick it. It was a deadbolt lock.

With nowhere else to go, they headed the only way left to go. As they approached the hall, they heard talking. They readied their weapons and hugged the wall. Peeking into the hallway, Jill saw it was clear. They convicts must have been in the other room. They looked at each other and nodded in mutual agreement. They would flank, each taking an entrance of their own. As they hugged the walls next to the doors, they took one final glance at each other and nodded.

Ringo swung around the corner and opened fire. He would be a distraction so that Jill could pick them off. He saw one of the convicts drop to the floor, and they shifted their attention to their attacker.

 _ **Shit, they saw me.**_

"Ringo, take them out fast!" Jill yelled as she ducked back behind cover.

Jill didn't expect them to figure out she was the better shot right away. She guessed they weren't as dumb as they looked. She heard another body drop to the floor. She reached toward her boot, kicking herself in the ass as she realized she never asked Ringo if he picked up a new blade for her. They would be on her any second. She holstered her pistol, grabbed her rifle off her back, and clutched it tightly.

As the first convict rounded the corner, she ducked low and maneuvered herself behind him. She was thankful he didn't have time to react and hoisted her rifle above his head. She brought it down in front of him, and pulled her rifle back to her. In an instant the convict was pinned up against her, he was a human shield, rifle holding him close by his neck. The other convicts didn't care and continued to fire at her, shooting their comrade. Ringo took the opportunity and opened fire. Dropping two more convicts. Only the leader was left.

Jill saw the remaining convict raise a huge ass weapon. He aimed right at her, and fired. She dropped her rifle, along with her human shield, and dove to the left behind cover. She wasn't fast enough, and when the Incinerators shot erupted, her leg was caught in the blast radius. She screamed out in pain. Though she wasn't hit directly, it still stung. She hoisted herself up, drew her pistol, and hugged the wall.

 _ **Shit. This guy is gonna fry me. I'm toast. I can't take him on while he has that huge ass weapon. I gotta think, and fast.**_

Jill had one trick up her sleeve. And if it failed, she was either going to die, or have some serious third degree burns. She peeked around the corner, and quickly recoiled back as the convict fired another shot. With a deep breath, she stepped out of cover, and aimed. As the convict fired , so did Jill. There was an explosion as Jill's bullet connected with the convicts' and before she knew it he was on the floor.

Jill's knees gave out, and she was on the floor. She blinked, and just stared at the fallen man.

 _ **I can't believe that worked.**_

She was thankful, but shocked. Who would have thought that her bullet would connect just as he fired, and it would blow up in his face. Ringo offered her a hand, and she accepted it. He hoisted her up from the ground, her legs still shaking.

"That was one hell of a stunt. You okay?" He smiled at her, hoping to lighten the mood.

"Yeah, I'm just a little shaken up. It was a good adrenaline rush though." She stepped forward and scanned the room. There were a couple beds and ammo boxes. There was a room off to the left and she headed towards it. Ringo was busy looting the dead convicts. As she entered what appeared to be a kitchen, she saw the deputy tied up in the back.

Deputy Beagle was a coward and ran off as soon as they untied him. They cleared out the rest of the building and found some Sunset Sarsaparillas. The citizens of Primm asked them to find a new sheriff and Jill said she wouldn't go out of her way, but would see what she could do. Johnson Nash told her about the ex-sheriff at the NCR Correction Facility, He wasn't much help either when it came to her identity. The only information he could offer was that her package was odd and the man canceled it after she set off. He did tell her to talk to Deputy Beagle if she wanted information on the man in the checkered suit.

Deputy Beagle only knew where they were headed. He told her they went east, through Nipton, and towards Novac. Jill and Ringo made their way to Lt Hayes. He was literally a five minute walk away and they can discuss protection for the town.  
Heyes wasn't much help. He claimed he would need Major Knight to send some reinforcements to help him secure and defend Primm. He also noted that the townsfolk would have to become registered NCR citizens and pay taxes. Jill wasn't fond of the idea, but it was something.

Major Knight was at the Mojave Outpost, and it wasn't a far trip. As they made their way down I-15 they stopped at a gas station to ransack. They had to take out a couple of Giant Scorpions, which wasn't easy. Its hard exterior deflected most shots, causing little damage. Luckily Jill was able to find a large rock and dropped it on the creature, cracking its armor. After that, it was easy pickings.

The gas station didn't hold much. Some food, and a little money along with a journal entry from a Mayer Joseph B Steyn. His journal entry was interesting enough. Jill learned a lot about this man. He was greedy and disgusting. He made a deal with Caesars Legion, an agent calling himself Fox being the spokesperson for the deal. He was to sacrifice NCR troops and Powder Gangers for the legion, luring them into town at the same time. He was to convince the Powder Gangers to kidnap the NCR troops at night and The Legion would take care of the rest when they were both in town. He wasn't an idiot though, he set up a safe house in the event that he was double crossed.

The Mojave Outpost was about a forty five minute walk, shorter if they hadn't walked back to the highway. They encountered some ants on their way, and quickly disposed of them. Jill stared in awe as she saw a giant statue of two men shaking hands. It appeared to be a monument of some sort, with a plaque underneath. She didn't care enough to read it. Her opinion of the NCR wasn't going to change.

 _ **Incompetent. They couldn't handle anything themselves. We had to defend Primm. And even after that, they still can't look out for the citizens without backup. They're useless. All they care about is extorting the people. Forcing them to become citizens and paying taxes all while they sit on their asses doing nothing. If you want someone to join your cause, you need to take initiative. Not let someone else fix the problem and sweep in to reap the benefits of the aftermath. Maybe I'll look into that ex-sheriff Beagle told me about.**_

"I don't like these guys." Jill stated. Ringo just nodded in agreement. She supposed he didn't want to voice his opinion while they were in earshot. Jill didn't give a shit though, maybe if they heard the truth, they would fix that issue. Then again, maybe they would be to useless to even do that. They asked one of the troopers where they could find Major Knight, and headed over that way. Major Knight was standing behind a desk, and greeted them with a smile.

"Caravan, citizen, pilgrim, or…." He asked.

"Does it really matter?" Jill quipped.

"Just doing my job missy." He retorted. "The big bosses want every visitor logged."

"Courier." She reluctantly replied. She didn't like that they wanted to know everyone's status. So he would get her profession instead. "We were told to talk to you about sending reinforcements down to Primm. They need protection and Hayes said you're the one who handles all of that."

"We are already shorthanded as is. I'm afraid I don't have any additional soldiers to send their way." Knight shrugged.

"Primm is a great location, one the NCR would be fools not to aid. The trade route alone would be great to have, and would help the west. Not to mention all the tourists and traders that travel through there. You could set up a stand, and try and recruit citizens and soldiers." Jill made her point. It was true but she didn't like that she had to sell the town to the NCR.

"I see your point. You make a good argument. I'll go ahead and radio a unit to head over to Primm for support." Knight seemed pleased with this new idea. Apparently the NCR was easy to persuade, as long as they gained something from the outcome. "Anything else I can help you with, Miss Courier?"

"We're actually looking for some work. A place to rest also." She added.

"For work, you can talk to Ranger Jackson. If you want to rest, head over the other building, they have a bar and some extra beds there. Talk to Lacey, she'll set you up." He offered a handshake, as to end their conversation.

The bar area was cozy. There were some vending machines, bar stools and troops wandering about. There was a redhead sitting at the bar, sipping on whiskey. The bartender greeted them and insisted they have a seat. The redhead scoffed and took another swig. They ordered some food. Ringo got some fried mantis legs, and Jill ordered some Brahmin steak. She was starving.

"Why not have a drink too. It'll take the edge off. You seem stressed." The redhead offered her a half smile.

"Thanks. I guess I'll have whatever you're having." Jill didn't remember much when it came to alcohol. Maybe she didn't like the stuff, but it was worth a try.

"You seem like you're drowning yourself in alcohol to run away from something." Ringo interrupted.

"Go fuck yourself." The redhead spat.

"And that tells me I'm right." Ringo added.

 _ **He's right. She's running away from something. Maybe we could help her.**_

"I think you're right." Jill whispered. "Let's get to know her and see if we can help."

"Don't you want to find the men who shot you?" Ringo quietly asked.

"Yes, but if she needs to get drunk and drown out her sorrows, we should help." She kept her tone as low as possible. "Besides, helping her seems more urgent. I don't want her drinking herself to death."

"I'm Jill." She introduced. "And this is Ringo. We've been traveling for three days now. We came from Goodsprings."

"Rose of Sharon Cassidy. You can call me Cass though."

"So what's bothering you?" Jill prodded. "It might not be any of my business, but if I can help, I would like to."

"You're right." Cass answered. "It ain't your fucking business."

"Ouch." Jill sarcastically answered. "Great defense mechanism there. I was shot in the head and left for dead, and even then I didn't forget how to not be a bitch."

"You know what?" Cass slammed her hands down on the bar. "I like you. Alright smartass. I used to own my own caravan. Cassidy Caravans, until my caravan was attacked and burned to ash. Since then I've been grounded her. Stuck because these small dick NCR assholes won't let me leave. I think it was more than some tribals raiding my caravan but I won't find out. So I sit here and drink all fucking day long going crazy."

"So they won't let you leave? That's bullshit." Ringo clenched his fist. "The fucking NCR thinks they can dictate people?"

"Apparently" Jill sighed. She would have to see if she could get whoever was in charge to let Cass go.

As they ate and drank, they chatted some more. Jill could tell Cass didn't want to be here. And she would do anything to get out in the world again. She longed for adventure and wanted to forget about her Caravan. She had been highly successful. Starting out was rough enough but eventually she was a huge competitor for the Crimson Caravan Company. She thinks they had something to do with burning her caravan to the ground but couldn't prove anything. Ringo offered his insight, about his own caravan being attacked and raided. He decided not to mention he worked for the Crimson Caravan Company.

Jill was drunk. She could barely keep herself from falling over. Everything was hilarious, and she couldn't stop laughing. As they all shared their secrets, insecurities and adventures, Jill couldn't help but feel dull. Her head was hurting all day, and it was just getting worse by the minute. She figured it was the alcohol but Cass and Ringo told her it wasn't. There was no way she was getting a hangover while still drunk. She wanted desperately to be interesting. She blurted out that she had a crazy dream and the duo just stared at her like she had three heads. She told them about her pre war dream. About the dog, and the sirens. The explosion, and fire that purged everything around her. She told them it was then she woke up in Doc Mitchell's house. They said it was probably some story she read and she just dreamt it, as a way of her brain coping with the bullet wound.

"You're a lightweight." Cass teased. "I'm waiting for you to fall the fuck over."

Jill scoffed. "At least I'm not burning a hole in my wallet. Take that bitch.

"Ya got me there." Cass admitted defeat. "I wish it only took me three shots, and a beer to get shit faced."

Jill stood up and almost fell over, catching her balance on Ringo. She steadied herself and pushed away from him. Her cheeks red, and her vision slightly blurred, she made her way to the couch. She wanted to close her eyes. Her head was pounding. Suddenly, a sharp pain made its way from the back of her head, straight down her back. She screamed loud in agony, and grabbed her head with both of her hands. As she screamed Ringo and Cass got up and ran over to her. She fell to her knees, still gripping her skull. She let out another loud, ear piercing shriek. Time suddenly stood still. The pain receded for the moment. She opened her eyes and looked around. She wasn't in the Mojave Outpost anymore. She was floating in mid air, looking down at herself.

"Please, don't kill me." The man pleaded. "I didn't betray you, I promise."

Jill saw herself holding the barrel of her gun to a mans head, tears in his eyes.

"You're right." Her tone was cold. "You betrayed &*#$ and for that, you die."

She pulled the trigger, brain particles and blood splattered the walls. His body fell limp, blood pooling around his head. She fished through his pockets and pulled out a document. She turned and exited the building, not even glancing back.

Jill suddenly remembered this event, but as much as she tried to recall who's name she had said, she couldn't. She worked for someone, and that someone was betrayed. She was sent to kill him. Had she been an assassin? She didn't want to remember anymore. She couldn't handle the truth. Her heart pounded, and everything went black. In an instant it was over. Ringo had his arms around her, caressing her head, whispering that everything was alright. Cass was rubbing her back, telling her nothing was wrong.

Jill opened her eyes, tears falling down her face. She grabbed Ringo and hugged him, burying her face in his chest. As she cried her eyes out and he just held her, she wished that she didn't remember. She was a good person. She couldn't be a murderer. Before, she wanted to remember her past more than anything. Now, she wished her memories would have died.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, I'm sorry about the huge delay on an update. Life got in the way a little and then I got bronchitis. Everything is all good now and thank you all for being patient. I had a bit of a writers block with this chapter, so it took a little longer also, but I'm back on track and already have an outline going for Chapter 5 as well.**

 **This chapter is NSFW. There is a sex scene that starts in the second portion, and goes through to the third for anyone who would like to skip it. In this chapter we focus a little on relationships, and Vulpes Inculta is introduced as well. I'm still unsure whether I want him to play a major role or not. However, if you guys want me to incorporate him into this, I most certainly can do my best to do so.**

 **So without further rambling, I present to you Chapter 4. I hope you all enjoy. And please feel free to favorite this story, review it, and share it with others. Thank you all for being so supportive and great! Enjoy!**

* * *

Sunlight beamed through the window, landing on Jills face. The sudden brightness caused her to shift in her sleep. She rolled over, out of the sunlight's path, and smacked right into someone. When she opened her eyes, she saw Ringo staring right back at her. His arm was around her abdomen, well lower back now, holding her close. She saw a look on his face she had grown familiar with – concern.

 _ **Ever since I woke up, people have made that face at me. Always concerned about my well being. It's nice, but I'm not a child. Ringo needs to realize that. And why's he holding me?**_

 _ **Oh stop complaining Jilly, you like him. He's holding you, and you guys are sharing a bed. Just because you don't remember how you got here or if you guys had sex or not doesn't mean you need to complain.**_

"You alright?" Jill questioned. She wanted to know what was worrying him.

Ringo nodded. It wasn't the answer she wanted, but it would have to do.

"I'm just worried that after last night, things might get awkward between us." He finally admitted.

"Last night?" Jill asked, confused as could be.

"Uhm…." Ringo turned bright red. He motioned for her to look under the covers.

Jill obliged and peeked under the covers and gasped.

"Whoa, looks like we had fun last night." She smiled. They had sex. "Too bad I was too drunk to remember."

"You were pretty drunk." Ringo laughed. "After you broke down and started crying, I just held you and one thing led to another, and we well…."

 _ **Go fucking figure. I finally get some cock, and I can't even remember it. Just my luck. Fucking alcohol.**_

* * *

Jill told Ringo she was mad she couldn't remember the sex. Ringo knew what he had to do, he just hoped Jill was thinking the same thing. Ringo stared at her for a moment, taking in all of her beauty. The sun glistened on her skin, causing her skin to look radiant. Her hair was adorably messy, strands falling down her face.

Ringo took a deep breath, and swallowed. He quickly pressed his lips against hers, pulling her close. He felt her arch her back, pushing her breasts against his chest as she kissed him back. He opened his mouth slightly, waiting to see if she would follow his lead. She did, and their tongues met. They began to massage each other in their lustful dance. Ringo pulled away slightly, and bit her lower lip. Jill let out a soft moan, and pulled away slowly. She stared Ringo right in the eyes, and pushed him down onto the bed. As Jill leaned over him, she slid one hand down his side, to his thigh. Ringo throbbed at the thought of what that hand was going to do. Ringo gently pulled her face closer to his. He began to suck on her neck, kissing every few seconds. He let his hand slide down her shoulder, to her breast. He cupped it gently before playing with her nipples. He decided to play it a little more risky, and began kissing down from her neck to her breasts. Jill let out a soft moan, and palmed the shaft of Ringo's cock. She smiled as she felt it throb at the touch. He took her nipple into his mouth. Drawing shapes with his tongue, nibbling gently every now and then.

* * *

Jill was barely able to contain herself. She was dripping wet, wanting nothing more than Ringo's cock inside of her. The way he teased her nipples, kissed her neck, it got her going. She grabbed his head and pulled it up to hers, and pressed her lips against his. In a moment, their tongues were locked in battle, trying to defeat one another. She felt Ringo slide his hand down her abdomen, and to her inner thigh. She let out a moan and he began to slide his fingers over her lips. She felt one of his fingers entering her, and it caused her body to shudder with ecstasy. She moaned, squeezing his arm, and another finger slid inside of her. His thumb found her clit, and he rubbed it gently. He pulled his fingers out, sliding them back in. Going in and out, he began rubbing her clit with his thumb. Jill felt herself reaching her climax.

"I'm gonna cum." She moaned.

Ringo didn't stop, instead he picked up the pace, until he felt her muscles constrict before a warm liquid ran down his fingers and hand.

Jill went to grab Ringo's cock, and he stopped her.

"I'm not done yet." He declared as he kissed down her neck, to her breasts. He took her nipple in his mouth and swirled his tongue around it. He gently nibbled on her nipple, sending an unbearable sensation through her body. He kissed down her stomach, to her groin. He spread her legs, kissing her vagina lightly, teasing it. She felt a tongue peek out, and slowly slide up and down her lips. She moaned as he slid a finger inside of her. He massaged her clit with his tongue, and fingered her slowly. She could feel another orgasm not too far off. Before it was too late, she grabbed him by the hair and pulled him back up. She wrapped her one leg around him, and used that to push him down on the bed. Getting on top of him, she wasted no time getting to his cock. She grabbed his throbbing shaft and slid his head in her mouth. She licked the rim of his cock with her tongue, licking up any precum she found along the way. Slowly, she slid his cock deeper into her mouth. His head disappeared behind her lips, and his shaft slowly made its way in her mouth. She used her tongue to tease his shaft as she went deeper, rubbing back and forth. Jill began to bob her head, going as deep as she could. She grabbed the shaft of his cock and began to slide her hand up and down, synching with her bobs. Ringo's cock was as hard as a rock, and he quickly stopped her before he came. Jill wasn't ready to stop, and quickly straddled him. She took his cock inside of her, and clenched her muscles. She felt him push up against her groin as she pushed down. She arched her back, and slowly slide herself up, and back down. Ringo followed the motion. It was slow, and passionate. Jill slowly picked up the pace, and Ringo began to thrust harder. Faster, deeper, harder. The sound of bare skin slapping could be heard throughout the whole compound. Jill moaned loudly as Ringo picked up the pace even more. He grabbed her, and flipped her over. He was on top of her now. He pulled her close, kissing her violently – hastily, and he slid in and out of her. She felt his cock stiffen and knew he was going to cum. Jill let out a loud moan as she felt his cock pulse and throb inside of her. She could feel him shoot his load, and god was it hot, his cock pulsing and throbbing inside of her. But he didn't stop pumping. He kept thrusting, harder now. She screamed out a moan and came all over his cock. In an instant, he was laying limp on top of her. They looked at each other for a while. Neither moving, just enjoying the moment. Ringo rolled off of her, gave her a quick kiss on the forehead, and stepped out of bed.

* * *

Jill watched Ringo as he dressed. Admiring the way the lighting contoured his abs. It was clear he worked out. She couldn't help but stare, admiring him after their steamy encounter. Satisfied that she remembered at least one of the times they had sex. The last thing she could remember about last night was seeing herself shoot someone in cold blood, then breaking down crying.

 _ **Sympathy sex. That's what it was. He was comforting me after that, and one thing led to another and we fucked… I'm not complaining.**_

Jill decided to follow Ringo's lead, and stepped out of bed as well. She quickly dressed and turned to face him.

"I'm going to see if they have a shower somewhere in this outpost." She announced. "I uh…really enjoyed that."

"I did too." Ringo offered a smile.

"Oh, don't worry about pregnancy." Jill retorted as she made her way to the door. Stopping in the doorframe, she turned to face him. "I had an IUD put in a couple years ago. So, no babies for us."

"Thank god." Ringo was relieved. "I didn't even think of that. I was just so caught up in the moment."

Jill made her way around the outpost, looking for Cass. She ignored the stares she got, and the smiles the men threw her way. Apparently, this is what a walk of shame felt like. Let them stare, Jill didn't care.

 _ **I have no reason to be ashamed. I had some great sex, it felt amazing. They're probably just jealous they didn't get any.**_

"Someone had a good fuck apparently." Cass announced from behind. "The whole outpost could hear you moaning."

"Yeah…" Jill smiled. "It was damn good, but now I just wanna shower and clean up."

"Say no more." Cass motioned for Jill to follow. Within a minute they were to the locker rooms, and Cass pointed Jill in the direction of the showers.

Jill walked over to the showers, took her clothes off and hung them up on the pipe overhead. She turned the water on and closed her eyes. She felt the water spray out overhead, soaking her exposed body. The warm water felt amazing, relieving all the aches and pains she's suffered over the past few days. The water droplets beaded down her body, contouring and hugging her figure. She grabbed a bar of soap and began to lather her body up, paying special attention to her vagina and ass. She made sure to scrub until there was no semen left down there. She then moved up to her breasts, massaging them gently. She scanned the shower and found some shampoo and conditioner. She lathered her hair and rinsed it out, using the conditioner next. She let it sit in for about five minutes to make sure her hair would be silky smooth and soft. During those five minutes, she thought about Ringo and the sex they had. What she could do to help Cass out and how relaxing hot showers were. She quickly rinsed off the rest of her body and hair and hopped out. She looked at her clothes and wished she had a way to wash and dry them quickly. They were still filthy from Goodsprings and Primm. She didn't have time to waste to wash them by hand.

 _ **You're a smart girl Jilly. Maybe I can figure out some way to make a machine for that kind of thing.**_

She shook her head and decided she had more important things to worry about right now. After getting dressed, she made her way to Ranger Jackson. She wanted to see if they could exchange a favor for the release of Cass.

Ranger Jackson wanted some ants cleared out from an underpass. Jill and Ringo already disposed of them on their way in so that was easy enough, although Jill still didn't understand why they couldn't take care of it themselves.

"I actually killed them on the way in." Jill informed the man. "So, I know you offered some supplies, but I have a special request. I already have enough supplies."

"Well, lets hear it then." Jackson was intrigued.

"Cass, the owner of Cassidy Caravans." Jill started. "I want her to be released. I know she's not a prisoner, but she is grounded here. I want her as a traveling companion."

Jackson wasn't happy about it, but he agreed. After all she did help the NCR out by clearing out the Giant Ant's terrorizing them.

Jill found Ringo and told him the good news, and they set off to find Cass.

"No fucking way!" Cass was ecstatic. She grabbed Jill and gave her a bear hug.

"So you're free to leave, and travel the wasteland again." Jill smiled.

"I want to come with you. Your journey caught my interest, and I wanna look out for you. To help you regain your memories, and get revenge." Cass winked.

"Well then, gear up. We gotta run back to Primm, then we're on our way to Novac." Ringo said.

Cass made what little purchases she needed to for the trip, geared up, and met them at the Memorial Statue.

* * *

The trip to Primm didn't take long. Cass told Jill she was going to go into town and check out the shops and casino while she took care of what she had to. Cass never really cared much for politics and shit like that. Jill needed to talk to whoever was in charge about the NCR protecting Primm and talk to whatever citizens about some shit. Cass made her way through town and didn't see any shops.

 _ **I guess the casino is what gives the town a stable economy. Guess that's where I'm headed.**_

Cass made her way to the casino. She entered the building and took a look around. It was very dull, nothing compared to the casino's on The Strip. She walked over to the exchange counter and traded in some caps for chips. She killed some time waiting for Ringo and Jill by playing some roulette. She didn't care for slot machines, and certainly didn't care for those stupid card games. She could never understand them. After about a half hour, she was up a couple hundred caps. She decided she would call it quits before she lost everything. She exchanged her money and decided she would look for her companions.

The door to the casino opened, and Cass turned to see who walked in. There were four thugs. Cass quickly took cover behind one of the blackjack tables, drawing her rifle, and listened. The thugs announced that Primm was ripe for the pickings and that they were taking over. One of the casino patrons informed them that the law has returned to the town, and they scoffed announcing that they were NCR deserters, stating that law wouldn't save them from Caesar who was taking over New Vegas soon.

 _ **So they want to loot everything before Caesar has a chance? Not on my watch. I can't just sit by while they terrorize innocent people and instill fear in their hearts.**_

Cass didn't waste a second. She popped out from cover, aimed her rifle, and opened fire. She dropped two thugs and retreated back to her cover as the remaining two opened fire. She peeked out and saw them flanking her. One was heading left, the other right. She got on her stomach and crawled under the table. She decided she would take out the one on the left first, and aimed her rifle. He was closing in on her, slowly walking towards the table. She had a clear shot and took it, the bullet blowing out his knee cap. As his body hit the floor she put another bullet in him, right between the eyes. She rolled out from underneath the table and opened fire on the last thug. Satisfaction rushing over Cass as his body collapsed to the floor.

Cass got up, holstered her rifle and made her way out of the casino. Surely Jill and Ringo were finished being messengers for the NCR.

* * *

Jill saw Cass exit the casino and flagged her down. They regrouped and Ringo told Cass that everything was taken care of, so if she was ready they could leave. Cass shared her story about the thugs and Jill shook her head.

 _ **I can't believe NCR deserters would come after Primm. I'm just glad Cass was there to save the day.**_

With everything done, they headed out toward Novac. It would take a two hours to get there if they cut through the desert, but Jill wanted to stick to the roads. It would be safer, god only knew what terrible creatures lurked far into the desert.

It didn't take long for them to see smoke rising from the town of Nipton. The group readied their weapons, approaching the town with caution. Cass and Ringo both told Jill that Nipton was a shithole. The Mayor was apparently some greedy asshole who only cared about caps. Jill showed them the journal entry she found earlier.

"Keep your guard up. Legion probably attacked the town." Cass stated.

"That would explain the smoke." Ringo added.

Jill dropped to a crouch as they approached the town, Cass and Ringo following her lead. She hugged the wall of a house on the outskirt of the town and glanced around the corner. There were men strung up on telephone poles, nearing death. There were no signs of movement, but Jill didn't want to risk it. They kept a low profile, sneaking and weaving in and out of cover as they made their way through town. As they approached a large building in the center of town they saw men dressed in Roman style armor exit the building.

"Those men are Legion." Ringo grabbed Jill's arm. "We can't be seen."

"He's right." Cass added. "We should hide and wait for them to leave. We can't risk crossing their path."

 _ **I can't just sit by and watch these men roam about as if they own the place. All these people were tortured, and hung up to die by these men… It's not right. I can't ignore this. Let's see. There are about eight men. The one in the center seems to be calling the shots. He wore a mask made out of an animal, it resembled a wolf, or maybe a fox. He must be the leader of this group. I'll confront him.**_

Jill didn't care what Ringo and Cass thought. She holstered her weapon and stepped out of cover, walking right up to the Legion men. They watched her carefully as she approached their leader.

"You!" The Leader exclaimed. "Stop right there. No harm will come to you. I have a message that I wish for you to spread.

Jill just glared at him, clenching her fists. How dare he speak to her like that.

"I am Vulpes Inculta, leader of the Frumentarii. I purged this town of its dissolute ways. The townspeople were greedy, vile, disgusting human beings. Let this be an example of what is to come, the Legion is here, and we will conquer New Vegas. We will eradicate disease and addiction, purging with fire. The dissolute ways will end, and a new era will be ushered in, with Caesar as ruler of all." Vulpes said with a smug smile.

"No." Jill corrected. "I will not be a messenger. I don't agree with this whatsoever. It's disgusting and worse than greed itself. This is a massacre. You killed a whole entire town in the name of what? Rebirth? That is worse than anything these people could have done!"

"Stay your tongue woman, and know your place. You are not to speak to the great Vulpes Inculta that way. You are to bow before him." One of the recruits said.

"I bow before no one." Jill scowled. "I'm not afraid of you."

The recruit lunged at Jill, swinging his machete wildly. Jill dodged his attacks with ease. With each swing, she just stepped back, bending her torso as needed. The recruit was relentless, intent on one of his blows connecting. Jill was just toying with him at this point. Another recruit decided to aid his comrade. The first recruit swung his machete low, the other swung high to Jill's right. Jill used this as an opportunity to attack. She threw her body backward, planting her hands on the ground, and lifting her legs into the air. Her foot missed the first recruits face by an inch. The second recruits arm was extended above her and she bent her one leg under his arm. Quickly shifting her hands so her body was facing him, she grabbed his arm with her legs. Clenching, she rolled out, bringing the recruit's body over hers. She quickly got up and engaged the standing recruit. He swung his machete and she ducked. She grabbed his arm and twisted as hard as she could, disarming him. The other recruit was getting up and she extended her leg behind her, kicking him in the face and knocking him back down. She made a fist and began pounding the remaining recruit's chest. She finished him off with a back roundhouse kick. A third recruit came at her, and swung his machete. Jill ducked low, and picked up a machete. Her assailant swung again, and Jill deflected the blow. Jill swung her machete low, and the recruit blocked with his. The sound of metal slapping together and sparks filled the small battlefield. Jill's assailant was persistent with his attacks, and she was using this to her advantage. He would wear himself out and she would use her opponent's force against him. He swung with all of his strength, and Jill stepped to the side raising her weapon. She brought the machete down, cutting clean through his arm. The recruit was screaming, and blood was spraying out of his limb. She extended her arm and held the blade to his throat.

"I won't kill you." Jill turned her attention to Vulpes. "As good faith, I will spare his life. I just want to pass through this town. If that's not an option then I will fight you all, but I would like to avoid any further confrontation."

Vulpes eyed her up. Nodding in agreement, he called off his men. "You fight like a true warrior. Were you a man, you would have been an ideal recruit for the Legion. Nonetheless though, Caesar's Legion will take over the Mojave. I will spare you on this day, but remember our message and what you saw here today. The Mojave will suffer the same fate." Vulpes smiled. "You may keep that machete as a reminder of what is to come."

Vulpes and his men took their leave. Cass and Ringo ran up to Jill and they scolded her.

"You're one lucky son of a bitch." Cass stated. "But that luck will run out."

"Cass is right." Ringo was concerned. "You can't do reckless shit like that, we don't want to see you get yourself killed."

It was getting late, and nightfall was almost here. Novac was only a couple hours away. They quickly looted the now abandoned houses. Jill went around, shooting each of the Legion's crucified victims in the head. It was a mercy killing. It was better than starving to death. If she let them down, they would have died. They had no energy left, no fight. The Legion was disgraceful—disgusting. Once they finished up, they continued towards Novac.

* * *

Vuples couldn't stop thinking about that woman. She was fearless. She stood up to him and his men. She showed superb combat skills, able to take on three of his men without a scratch. She would have been a valuable asset to Caesar. Perhaps after they take over the Mojave she would be captured. She would be a slave of course, but she could bear his children, and they would be fearsome warriors. Perhaps he would run into her again. There was something about her that Vulpes enjoyed. He wished to see her again. If fate would have it, they would meet again on The Strip when he was incognito. He could study her some more, get to know her, and see if she was worth saving when they ushered in a new age. If she wasn't, then he could just sleep with her and kill her after.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys. Sorry I haven't updated this. I had bronchitis and then life kinda got the best of me. I was having writers block and got a second job so I'm working 7 days a week now and barely have time to myself. Fallout 4 and Rise of the Tomb Raider may also have had something to do with my lack of updates and work on this fic. Once again I just want to thank my faithful readers, and followers for bearing with me and continuing to support me. I promise you this wont be the last chapter I upload, just bear with me. My goal is to do a chapter every 2-3 weeks. (Life is just crazy right now.) Hopefully after the holidays I'll be able to update once a week, if not every week and a half. But now I'm rambling like usual. Without further ado, I present to you. Jill's Journey, Chapter 5. Enjoy guys.**

* * *

Jill looked at the time on her Pip Boy and sighed. They spent more time scavenging in Nipton than she had planned on. It would be well past midnight by the time they reached Novac. She was tired and was pretty sure her companions were too. Cass was dragging her feet and Ringo was less chatty than usual.

 _ **Maybe I should ask him if he's okay. We haven't really talked much about what happened between us.. Maybe that's what's bothering him?**_

Jill decided against it. He was probably just tired and that was a conversation she wanted to have in private. She began to think about what she would say to him, how the conversation would go and if they would he agree to just stay friends. Jill was so lost in thought she almost didn't hear Cass talking.

"Look! Over there to the left, there's a shack. Maybe we can stop there and set up camp. I dunno about you guys but I'm fucking exhausted."

"Yeah I'm pretty beat too." Ringo announced. "I'm sure Jill's pretty worn out too after her solo gladiator run in with those Legion pricks."

"Yeah, being a badass is pretty exhausting." Jill laughed.

"Haha, you're a mess Jill…. That's why I love ya." Cass smiled.

"Love you too Cass. Hopefully that little duel was enough to get the Legion to leave us off of their radar."

"Or put giant targets on our backs." Ringo sighed.

As they approached the old shed, they all readied their weapons. Jill took point, crouching down low, moving fast. She was careful not to make a sound. As she reached the door, she hugged the wall to the right of it. Ringo and Cass hugged the wall on the left. Jill motioned for Cass to open the door. Grabbing the handle, nodded at Jill, and Cass pulled. The door swung open and Jill quickly swept the dark sanctuary. There were a couple shelves, a desk, papers scattered all over, and a bed. She noticed a makeshift mattress in the corner made of cardboard. There wasn't a raider in sight. Relieved, the group entered the rickety shack.

The group chatted for a little. They shared more stories from their past, shared a couple laughs and downed some Nuka Cola's. It was the perfect way to end the night. Their eyes were heavy and their thoughts merged. Jill was lying there, staring at the wall. She blinked and her eyes couldn't maintain focus. They burned. All she wanted to do was sleep. She blinked again, this time, her eyes didn't open. As she drifted into a deep slumber, she forgot the problems of the world. She forgot about the man in a checkered suit. She forgot about her steamy encounter with Ringo and most importantly, she forgot about her death.

* * *

Ringo woke up to the smell of food. He wiped his eyes, ridding of what little evidence of sleep remained around his lids.

 _ **I need to wash my face. I hate not knowing if I have any more eye crust on my eyes.**_

He got out of the bed and followed the enticing scent. He emerged from the shack to see Cass and Jill chatting by a campfire. There were a couple Giant Ant corpses near the fire. Jill was cooking their meat while Cass gutted them.

"Mmm, that smells delicious." Ringo drooled.

"I think I used to enjoy cooking. I'm pretty sure I was really good at it too. I hope it tastes as good as it smells." Jill boasted.

"For fucks sake Jill, how hard is it to fry ant meat?" Cass interjected.

"Well for starters, I'm not frying it." Jill quipped.

"Whatever smart ass. How hard is it to bake then?" Cass asked.

"I don't think this is considered baking either but I could be wrong." Jill admitted.

"You're roasting it, technically." Ringo corrected.

"Whatever, cooking is cooking and I can't fucking wait to eat it." Cass concluded.

Ringo decided to clean their weapons while the girls prepared breakfast. He wanted to make ensure everything was in top shape. Last thing they needed was a gun jamming during a fight. The raiders in the Mojave were merciless and spread all over. They've been lucky enough to only run into a handful so far.

It didn't take long to check everything and by the time he finished, the food was ready. They quickly devoured the roasted ant meat and began gathering their belongings. Novac was only a couple hours away and they were all eager to head out. Staying in one area for too long is dangerous. All they needed was a raider to spot the campfire smoke or smell the food. Those savages would go as far as to kill you for a cigarette.

 _ **Fucking fiends. They're the only people who I agree with The Legion destroying.**_

* * *

After a couple hours of walking, Jill saw what appeared to be a giant dinosaur in the distance. They were close to Novac. They were close to more answers about the man in the checkered suit. Jill could feel her stomach tighten. She was nervous. She wasn't sure what she would do if he was there. If she would be able to get the drop on him before he spotted her. What if he killed her, for god this time? What if he killed Ringo or Cass?

 _ **Stop it Jilly. That's not going to happen—you won't let it. You'll kill that son of a bitch before he even see's what's coming.**_

"Do you really think the man in the checkered suit is gonna be in Novac?" Ringo asked.

"Beats me" Cass replied. "We'll find out soon enough."

"We can't keep calling him the man in a checkered suit. Let's think of a name to call him." Jill declared.

"What about douchebag? Or fuck face? Or limp dick fag fucker?" Cass laughed.

"We could call him grave digger." Ringo added.

"Too personal." Jill decided. "Let's call him Rigg."

"Why Rigg?" Cass asked.

"Right before he shot me." Jill started. "He said 'Truth is, the game was rigged from the start.'"

As they approached Novac, Jill noticed some houses, a little farm with some Brahmin and what appeared to be a woman wandering around with some bodyguards.

 _ **She's so ugly. Why is she bald? Why does she have bodyguards? Maybe she knows something about Rigg.**_

Jill quickly approached her, introducing herself. She tried to be as friendly as possible to avoid any suspicion.

"Well hello to you too." The woman chirped. "I'm Ada Straus. I'm the doctor in this town here."

 _ **Fuck. She probably doesn't know anything.**_

"Hello there, I'm Ringo. This is Jill and the angry looking redhead over there is Cass." Ringo shook her hand.

"Well it's nice to meet you. It's nice to see people with manners in the Mojave now a days too!" Ada smiled. "So what brings a group of young folk like yourselves out to Novac?"

"I'm actually looking for someone." Jills gaze was intense. "He's a colleague of mine, and we were supposed to meet in Nipton, but The Legion attacked the town. By the time I got there everyone was dead. Our Plan B so to speak was to meet here at Novac, you wouldn't have happened to see him, would you? He's white, about a little taller than I am and is usually wearing a checkered suit."

"I'm sorry sweetie but I can't recall if I've seen anyone dressed like that." Ada frowned. " But maybe you should talk to Jeannie May Crawford. She's the unofficial mayor of this town. She runs the Dino Dee-lite Motel. If anyone would have had eyes on everyone and anyone visiting or passing through, it would be her. Maybe your friend rented a room. You can find her at the Motel's front desk."

"Thank you so much. We really do appreciate it." Jill offered a smile and a couple caps for the information.

Without missing a beat, Jill turned on her heel and made her way to the Dino Dee-lite Motel. She would get answers- she needed to. She closed the distance between her and the motel office quickly. She grabbed the door knob, turned it and entered the building. Inside to the left was a sofa and some end tables with some magazines on them. To the right was the front desk with a woman standing behind it. The woman was offering a smile and opened her mouth to speak.

"Why hello, hello! I'm Jeannie May Crawford. I own the Dino Dee-lite Motel. Is there anything I can help you with?" Jeannie smiled.

"Uhm yeah." Jill replied. "I was looking for someone. He's a little taller than I am, wears a checkered suit and was traveling with two other guys. Has he been here by chance?"

"Why yes he was." Jeannie was enthusiastic. "Him and his buddies stopped by to see Manny. He's one of the ex NCR snipers that watches over this town. He's a great guy but I never would have thought that he would associate with such…. Barbarians like those men. I apologize for calling them barbarians but they rented a room here and trashed it! And they were quite loud and disturbed the other occupants around them!"

"Thank you, do you know where I can find Manny?" Jill asked.

"Yes ma'am. He's at the top of the dinosaur. Cliff Briscoe runs the shop, you should talk to him if you need anything. He sells plenty of things!" Jeannie smiled.

Jill took in the rest of her surroundings really fast. She noticed a soda machine, some filing cabinets, a shelf and a Mojave Express mailbox. She also noticed a floor safe behind the front desk. Just as Jill was about to take her leave, Jeannie May stopped her.

"I have a room for rent if you wanted. It's 100 caps and it'll be yours indefinitely. It's a monthly flat rate, and if you should leave town your room won't be rented to anyone else until you miss the next months payment."

Jill agreed and handed her 100 caps. She had a feeling if this Manny guy was a friend of Rigg's, he wouldn't sell out his friend easily. She would have to befriend him and gain his trust. They would be grounded in Novac for a while. She grabbed her new room key, and set out to meet up with her friends again. As she walked out of the motel lobby, she accidentally bumped into a man walking by. He wore an NCR barrette, sunglasses, military fatigues and had a sniper rifle slung over his shoulder.

"Sorry." Jill apologized for bumping into him.

He just looked at her, grunted and continued on his way.

 _ **He's angry. Not at me, but I can tell something happened and it changed him. He's probably friends with Manny. I'll have to make nice with him eventually.**_

Jill started walking back down towards doctor Ada when she spotted Cass and Ringo making their way over.

"Alright, here's the situation. I purchased us a room. We have it for a month as of right now. It was 100 caps, and it's a monthly fee and so long as we pay every month it's ours. If you guys wanted your own rooms, I'm fine with that also. I'm sure Jeannie May has more for rent. Anyway, she said she remembers Rigg and his buddies, but told me to talk to their town sniper Manny. Said something about them coming to see him. I don't trust her though. She rubs me the wrong way."

"You don't usually dislike people, what made you determine she was distrustful?" Ringo questioned.

"Yeah, I mean I'm an asshole and you warmed up to me real fucking quick." Cass added.

"I can't say for sure. I just get a really bad vibe from her. She was _overly_ friendly and smiled way too much. It wasn't natural. She's hiding something." Jill concluded.

"You don't think you're being a little quick to judge? I know we haven't run into many friendly people but I can't see how you got all of that from just chatting with her." Ringo shook his head.

"Look, I can't explain it. But I just get vibes from people and my gut is telling me she's not as nice as she's pretending to be. I trusted my gut feeling with you guys and it couldn't have been more right. My gut hasn't let me down yet and I don't plan on going against my instincts just because she's nice and smiles a lot." Jill shrugged. "Just... trust me guys. I know I'm right with this one."

"You know we will always trust you and take your side." Cass offered a warm smile. "You're one hell of a person and helped us when you didn't even know us. We're you're faithful companions."

"We're always gonna have your back Jill, no matter what." Ringo added.

As they made their way towards the giant dinosaur, Jill couldn't help but feel anxious. She was determined to get some answers; she just hoped Manny would be willing to help her. If he wasn't willing to, then things could go south real fast.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hey guys. I'm sorry about the VERY long pause. I had writers block and truthfully I wasn't committed and totally forgot about this fanfiction for a while and for that I apologize. But without further delay, I present to you, Jill's Journey Chapter 6. I hope you guy's enjoy, and please keep in mind that this chapter starts off slow but will pick up about half way through, I just needed to get some foundation set for what I have planned later on in the story. I hope you guy's enjoy and I just want to thank all of you for your support and love for this story enough to keep reading it!**

* * *

It wasn't a far walk to get to the dinosaur. It was simple, yet amazing. There were a couple of steps that lead up to a door, and the building must have stood at least three, if not, four stories high. Jill grabbed the door handle and swallowed hard. This could be it. Manny could be the answer to all her problems. She turned the door handle, took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.

Cool air leaked out of the small room on the other side. It was dimly lit and there were shelves lined with all sorts of things. Jill noticed the little Dinosaur figure and couldn't help but think it was cute. She decided she was going to purchase one and put it in her new hotel room. There was a man standing behind the counter. He turned her way, and she quickly met his gaze, keeping one hand over her holstered pistol.

"Howdy there, names Cliff Briscoe and I run this little shop here. I call her the Dino Bite Gift Shop." He said warmly.

"Hey there, nice shop you have here." Jill smiled. "How much for one of those Dinosaur things?"

"300 caps" Cliff stated.

"What?!" Jill was shocked. "Three hundred caps for a little dinosaur figure? That's outrageous!"

"300 caps darling." He said firmly.

"I'll give you 50 caps for it." Jill quipped.

"275 caps, that's the best I can do." Cliff wasn't backing down.

"100 Caps, that's my final offer." Jill wasn't going to haggle with the man all night. She could just come back and steal one later on when everyone was sleeping.

"No can do, sorry missy." Cliff said hesitantly. "You folks have a nice day."

Jill couldn't believe he wouldn't take 100 caps for that. Oh well, she would have to come back when it got later.

"I'm actually looking for someone named Manny, is he around? Jeannie May told me I could find him here." Jill asked.

"He's up in the snipers nest. Right around this here corner, go up the stairs and you'll find him at the top." Cliff said as he pointed out the way.

"Thank you." Jill ended the conversation quickly. She needed to find Manny as soon as possible. She didn't want the trail to go cold, she refused to. She quickly made her way to the stairs and rushed up. She swung the door open and scanned the snipers nest. It was tiny and there was a single chair, an ashtray, and some empty beer bottles scattered all over. Manny wasn't there. The nest was empty.

* * *

"Where the fuck is this guy?" Cass yelled. She was frustrated.

 _ **Poor Jill. She wants answers and the one person who can point her in the right direction isn't here.**_

Cass was beyond annoyed. They would have to run around and hunt for Manny now. Hopefully he didn't skip town with those assholes who shot Jill.

"Ugh." Jill huffed and it was obvious she was irritated. The look on her face said it all. Cass wasn't about to let her get into a bad mood. They've all seen what a bitch she can be when she's upset. Cass didn't waste any time. She turned around and made her way back to Cliff. Unless Manny jumped off of the dinosaur, he should have seen him leave.

"Where is he?!" Cass wasn't playing around. Her tone was very pointed.

"What are you talking about?" Cliff looked puzzled.

"Manny, he's not up there and the only way out is through here. Where is he? I'm not going to ask you again." Cass wasn't even trying to be civil anymore. "If you're dicking us around it isn't going to end well for you."

"I ddd-ddii-didn't see him leave." Cliff stuttered, obviously intimidated. "He must have ll-left when I went to use the bathroom. He should be in his room. I don't know his room number but he works 6am to 6pm every day. Maybe you can try back tomorrow."

 _ **God I'm such an asshole. This poor man, I didn't mean to scare him. I need to work on controlling my temper and not losing my shit so easily.**_

Cass called out to the others and once they were all back in the gift shop, she told them what Cliff had told her. Jill sighed and said they should probably get some rest. Cass told her that she was going to buy a room as well for her and Ringo so that Jill had some privacy. Jill didn't utter a word, instead she just silently nodded. As they made their way to the motel lobby Cass couldn't help but feel hopeful. She was going to see this thing through, and finally figure out the truth about her caravan along the way.

* * *

Jill split from the group before they reached the lobby. She didn't like Jeannie May and wanted to be alone. She didn't understand why she was so emotional, but there was nothing she could do about it now. She headed up the stairs to the second floor of the motel and walked over to her room. She turned to face the sunset and leaned over the rickety metal railing. She felt the cool night air of the Mojave dance around her, lightly blowing her bangs in her face. She closed her eyes and smiled. She couldn't quite place her finger on it, but somehow this feeling, this exact moment felt familiar to her. After a couple minutes, she opened her eyes, turned on her heel and opened her room door. She stepped inside to find dust covering a majority of the furniture.

 _ **Good thing I'm not tired. Guess I could do some cleaning. After all, this just might be your new home after you find Rigg.**_

Jill unholstered her rife and leaned it up against the wall. There was a desk with a terminal and lamp on it to the right. Next to the desk was a metal trash bin about a foot high. To her left was a radio sitting on top of a nightstand. Next to that was a queen sized bed. At the foot of the bed, there was a metal chest with a key on top. Jill was relieved that she would be able to lock up some stuff in her new room. The room was lined with carpet. What was once a vibrant red is now a stained and dirty off red with a hint of orange. There was a dresser with a broken television on it across from the bed. There was a section of the room that was a bit longer than the rest in the far right corner. Jill walked over there and spotted a fridge, a safe, and a table with two chairs. To her left was another door. It opened into a dusty bathroom. Jill decided to test the plumbing, and to her benefit, everything worked. The toilet flushed and the faucets spewed water.

 _ **Alright. I have a lot of work to do. No time to waste. I guess I'll go see if that merchant is still wandering around town. Maybe she'll have some cleaning supplies for me… and just maybe, I'll pay a visit to the gift shop and nab me one of those mini dinosaurs.**_

* * *

Jill had some luck with the merchant. She had some Abraxo cleaner, a scrub brush, and even some buckets too! She bought some bleach too, just in case. She looked at the time and decided it was too early to try and steal that dino. When she got back to the room she decided to get comfy. She sat on the bed, kicked her boots off, and unstrapped all her holsters. She dropped them to the floor, threw her arms outward, and fell back onto her bed. Jill closed her eyes and didn't move for a minute.

 _ **I'm finally getting back on track. I got myself a place to live and some awesome friends I can count on for anything. It might not be much, but it's more than I had when I started this journey.**_

Jill felt herself beginning to drift off into sleep and sat up. She grabbed her boot and propped the front door open. She then slid the bedroom window open and grabbed her cleaning supplies. She made her way to the bathroom, and started with the toilet. She wasn't going to take a shit and be afraid of the splash back. She poured the Abraxo cleaner in and started scrubbing. After about a minute all the discoloration and grime caked in the bowl began to dissipate. After a couple more minutes of scrubbing, she flushed the toilet, and it was as clean as it was going to get.

 _ **Well it's not sparkling but at least it doesn't look like I took a shit and let it fester for twenty years anymore.**_

Jill did the same with the sink and the tub. The tub was the hardest. She mixed the bleach in with the Abraxo cleaner. She wasn't going to soak in something that was stained with blood and rust. She had to let it soak before she scrubbed. While the tub was soaking she poured some bleach into the bucket and added some water. She then proceeded to scrub tiles.

After what felt like forever, the bathroom was finally presentable. She went through some of the dresser drawers and managed to find an old shirt. It was a yellow and orange plaid button up, and looked like shit. Whoever wore this didn't know what fashion was. She used that to wipe down all the dust in the room. After that she decided it was time to try and scrub the carpets. She cleaned out her bucket and added some water and Abraxo cleaner. She got on her hands and knees once again and started scrubbing, praying that it doesn't take a long as she thinks it will.

* * *

Ringo finished unpacking his things and walked over to Cass's backpack. He reached inside and began helping her unpack.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Cass asked.

"Helping you unpack, is that a problem?" Ringo explained.

"I have things in there that you don't need to see."

"What could you _possibly_ be hiding" His sarcasm was very apparent.

"Tampons, panties, maybe a play toy or two." Cass quipped. "I mean, if you're into dildos and shit feel free to borrow mine, just make sure to wash it before you get it back."

"Ha ha, very funny Cass." Ringo shrugged. "I'm not into that kinda thing. Do you want the help or not, bitch."

"Sure," Cass smiled. "What are we gonna do about Jill? I'm worried about her, she didn't seem like herself."

"The most we can do is just be there for support." Ringo stated. "I know she's honest with us and she's proven herself to really care about us more than once, but I also think she keeps some things to herself."

"Maybe she's afraid to talk to us about it, you know?" Cass shrugged. "Maybe she thinks she will sound stupid or that we'll laugh at her. Or maybe she's just not ready to face certain things. Jill's tough, trust me, she'll be fine and she'll talk to us about whatever is bothering her when she's ready."

"I hope you're right." Ringo closed his eyes.

 _ **We're here to help you Jill. Don't just shut us out. We'll always be your support system. Just open up to us.**_

They continued to chat for a while, sharing their concerns for Jill, as well as each other. Ringo decided to go to the gift shop and buy Jill a mini dinosaur. He thought that would put a smile on her face for sure. He told Cass he would be back later and headed out.

* * *

Craig Boone hated his life. Every night he would sit in the snipers nest and just stare blankly out at the Mojave. He couldn't escape his own thoughts. Nothing ever happened in this little town. He used to love it here. Took pride in protecting this town, but now all he could do was picture his face. He drank himself numb every waking second. It was the only way he could cope with things.

 _ **It's all fucked up. Everything about this fucking town is fucking fucked up. Maybe I'll get lucky and die in my sleep tonight. And if not, then at least I'll have my trusty booze. You never let me down, now have you, whiskey?**_

Boone reached into his pocket, grabbed his cigarettes and lit one up. He took a deep breathe, and inhaled his guilty pleasure. Boone stood up, took a swig of his whiskey, and leaned over the dinosaurs mouth. Using its mouth as a snipers nest was the best idea him and Manny came up with. It overlooked a majority of the desert and they could easily eliminate any threats that came close to town. He took another drag of his cigarette, and slowing exhaled the smoke from his lungs. It was a quiet night, enough that he could hear the cherry of his cigarette crackling as the paper burned. The sky was clear; the silhouette of the mountains distorting a portion of the barren wasteland that lay in front of him. The moonlight dimly illuminating what little wasteland wasn't obscured. The wind danced calmly, stirring up dust as Boone appreciated the scenery. These were the little things he appreciated in life, and at times, it made him want to reevaluate his priorities. Like all good things, the feeling of serenity faded quickly as the memories of what happened came flooding back. He took another swig and realized his whiskey bottle was empty. Angry, he hurled the bottle over the ledge and silently cursed.

Boone sat back down, grabbed anther bottle of whiskey out of his backpack, and opened it. He took a swig, threw his head back and swallowed hard as the liquor burned its way down his throat. He let out a cough as he choked on the taste. The only downside to drinking alcohol was that it didn't taste good until you were already drunk.

There was noise. It came from behind, and before the door could swing open Boone was aiming his sniper rifle at the door.

* * *

Jill wasn't trying to be quiet, but she also wasn't trying to make much noise. She decided to steal herself a mini dinosaur but decided against it once she got to the gift shop. She didn't want any bad karma. For some reason she believed what comes around goes around. She didn't want the trip to be a waste so she decided to see if Manny was back at his post yet. As she made her way up the stairs towards the snipers nest, she heard the sound of glass breaking. She unholstered her pistol, and crept up the steps. If an altercation was going on, she wasn't going to walk into it blind. She crouched down low when she was in front of the door, grabbing the knob and turning it. She pushed the door open, clutching her handgun tight; there was a sniper rifle pointed right in her face. A man stood there. He wore army fatigues. Camouflage pants, boots, and a discolored white t-shirt. He wore a red NCR Beret and was bald. He wore sunglasses. Jill thought that was odd, after all it was dark out.

They stood there, not moving a muscle, staring at each other. She didn't dare to raise her weapon, or even move it for that matter. One wrong move and this guy was going to blow her head off.

"I didn't mean to startle you." Jill explained. "I was hoping to find Manny up here. I'll be leaving."

The man just grunted and lowered his weapon. Jill holstered her handgun and turned around. Just as she was about to step back into the hall and close the door the man spoke.

"Wait."

Jill turned and walked a bit closer to him.

"Names Craig Boone." His tone low and rough. "I have a favor to ask. You're the only person I can trust, you're not from around here."

"So you can only trust strangers?" Jill was confused. "That doesn't make much sense, but I'm listening."

"Listen, a couple months back my wife, Carla, was kidnapped. Caesars Legion abducted her and she was pregnant. I can't help but think someone in this town set it up. If you could do some digging and find out who did it so I can kill that bastard."

"I'm so sorry. That's terrible." Jill looked down at the floor. "I don't know how someone could do that. I'll help you, but what do I do when I find out who set your wife up?"

"Take my Beret." Boone handed it over. "Wear it and bring that person to the front of the Dinosaur. I'll take the shot the second I see you with them."

Jill nodded as she took his Beret and left without saying another word. She wouldn't pry, at least not yet. Jill didn't mind helping people out, but she also has her own shit to worry about. As terrible as it sounds, she wasn't doing this out of the kindness of her own heart. The fact that he only heard the door knob turn and was able to surprise her in a matter of seconds was an astonishing feature. She wanted him on her team, and if that meant finding his wife's kidnapper, then so be it. Selfish or not, it's a win for both of them. Jill wasn't going to get much sleep tonight. She needed to dig around and see what she could find.

Jill decided she would start by asking around town. Her first stop would be Ada Straus, if Carla was pregnant, she would have gone to see Ada. The whole walk there Jill was thinking of how to ask without drawing suspicion. She would need to use her wit.

 _ **Come on Jilly, you're resourceful. Think of something clever to get some info out of her without it looking like it might be an investigation. There has got to be something…. Just think.**_

Jill found Ada Straus with ease. She was in the same exact spot. Jill took a deep breath and put on her best poker face.

"Doctor!" Jill wore a panicked expression. "I need some medical advice."

"Hello," She smiled at Jill. "What seems to be the problem?"

"I think I'm pregnant, and I don't know what to do." Jill was in a panic now. "I was asking one of the girls in town what I should do and they said there was a woman, Carly I think , that was pregnant and they said you oversaw her pregnancy while she was staying here and gave her medical advice."

"Oh my!" Ada quickly offered Jill a seat. "I do remember who you're talking about. Her name was Carla. Not the friendliest gal you'd come across and I'm sure the hormones only made that worse. Not many people in town were very fond of her. Personally she was always nice as pie to me, but maybe that's because I was her doctor."

"They didn't mention she wasn't liked very much." Jill was finally getting something, although the whole town hating her didn't narrow down the search. "What can you do for me doctor?"

"Well we have a couple options sweetie." Ada wore a serious expression. "Well it all boils down to if you want to keep the child, if you don't, abortion is an option. It is risky though, I won't lie about that. However if you plan on keeping the child, then all we really need to do is make sure you're getting he necessary vitamins and staying away from junk food."

 _ **Oh fuck. I didn't think this one through, how the hell am I gonna end the conversation without looking like an idiot. Oh yeah Jill, it's fine. Just say "Okay thanks, bye!" and walk away, that makes perfect sense. She'll never think anything of it.**_

Jill sighed, she would have to play along.

"I would like to keep my child doctor." Jill looked down to the ground. "My baby is all I have left of their father. He died protecting me from some raiders on our way here, I still haven't gotten over mourning him."

"I'm so sorry sweetie." Ada gently grabbed Jill's shoulder. "If you need anything, all of us in town are here for you."

"Thank you." Jill began to tear up. "I'm sorry, I just need to be alone now. Everything is coming back and I just… I'm sorry, thank you for your time doctor."

Jill stood up, wiped her tears and headed back towards the motel. She didn't like tricking people, but she couldn't deny that Boone would be an awesome person to have backing her up in battle. She decided she was going to ask Cliff Briscoe. His room isn't too far from hers. She knocked on his door, and after a little bit of waiting, he answered.

"I'm so sorry to bother you Mr. Biscoe." Jill smiled. "I'm going to be frank. I'm pregnant and I heard the last pregnant woman went missing, and I would like to know who I should avoid for the safety of my child and myself."

"Whoa there missy, that's a lot to throw at me right after waking me up." Cliff sighed. "Look, why don't you come inside and I'll tell you everything you need to know."

Jill took a seat on the couch across of his bed. The layout of his room was pretty similar, except the bed was in the far left corner and his dresser was where her bed is.

"Carla was the woman who went missing." Cliff explained. "She was a nasty young thing. Always complaining about her life here and how she was unhappy. She made it very clearly she hated this place, and that we were too poor for her taste. See, she came from the strip with that Boone fellow. She was used to the glamourous lifestyle of the strip. She liked gambling, drinking, and shopping. Novak is nothing like the strip and she was unhappy. A little too vocal about it if you ask me. Nobody really wanted anything to do with her after that. We just kind of avoided her. No one wanted any harm to come to her. I think her husband might have had something to do with it. They were always constantly arguing and screaming at each other. She didn't like it here and he enjoyed it."

"Thank you Mr. Biscoe, I'll keep that in mind. I'm sorry I bothered you." Jill offered a smile and left his room. There was no way it was Boone. Jill picked up enough to see that he's fallen into a deep depression. Jill's search wasn't turning up any leads and she was getting frustrated.

 _ **Dammit Jilly, think. There's gotta be something you're missing. Everyone in town hated Carla, apparently she was a bitch. What to do…...**_

Jill pondered what her next move would be. So far she was at a dead end. The only amount of information she found out made her wonder why Boone loved Carla so much. Jill racked her brain for any lead she could think of, or maybe something suspicious that seemed out of place.

 _ **Jeannie May Crawford, that old bitch. She was too friendly. Eager to answer my questions and make Novak sound like a safe haven. She's hiding something, I felt it from the start. Come to think of it, there was a safe behind the desk in the lobby. Guess I'll put my lock picking skills to the test and see if I can crack it open and find something."**_

Jill crouched down in front of the safe and pulled out a screwdriver and bobby pin and went to work. It only took about twenty seconds for her to crack the safe open. There were some caps in there, a hairbrush, some glue, and a document. Jill grabbed the paper and began reading it out loud.

"We, the representatives of the Consul Officiorum, have this day bargained and purchased from Jeannie May Crawford of the township of Novac the exclusive rights to ownership and sale of the slave Carla Boone for the sum of one thousand bottle caps, and those of her unborn child for the sum of five hundred bottle caps, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged. We warrant the slave and her young to be sound, healthy, and slaves for life. We covenant with the said, Jeannie May Crawford, that we have full power to bargain and sell said slave and her offspring. Payment of an additional five hundred bottle caps will be due pending successful maturation of the fetus, the claim to which shall be guaranteed by possession of this document.

M. Scribonius Libo Drusus et al.  
Administrators of M. Licinius Crassus, Consul Officiorum ab Famulatus."

 _ **That fucking cunt sold Carla to Caesars Legion for money. She ruined Boone's life for 1500 caps. I can't fucking believe her. I want to set her house on fire with her in it. Guess it's time to get her in front of the dinosaur so Boone can take care of it.**_

Jill pocketed the Bill of Sale, she would give it to Boone to reassure him that she was thorough with her investigation. As she made her way over to Jeannie May's house, she grabbed the Beret and put it on her head. She knocked on the door to Jeannie's house and when she answered she explained that she needed her in front of the dinosaur. There was an issue and it required her immediate assistance. Jill didn't know if Jeannie May was gullible or just half asleep and not processing how odd the request was, but she wasn't complaining. They quickly made their way over to the border of the town.

"It's just over the edge of the cliff, I don't know what to do." Jill yelled.

"What's over there honey?" Jeannie asked.

"Someone from the town is injured, and I don't know what to do, I can't carry them by myself."

Jill and Jeannie May neared the edge of the cliff. Jill made sure to keep her distance so she didn't get blood on her.

BAM! The thundering boom of a gunshot echoing through the lifeless desert. Blood splattered from the side of Jeannie May Crawfords head and she fell to the ground. Her body lay lifeless at the edge of the cliff. Jill signaled Boone to come down. She stared at Jeannie's lifeless body while she waited for Boone. She got what she deserved. You don't sell people as slaves. That was worse than murder. Boone stepped into view and Jill took off his beret and held it out for him.

"How did you know it was her?" Boone asked as he grabbed his beret.

"Just a hunch." Jill said with a smile.

"A hunch, huh?" Boone wasn't amused.

"Alright, alright." Jill reached into her pocket. "I found this in the safe behind the Dino Dee-Lite lobby desk. I'm sorry Boone."

Jill handed Boone the document and waited patiently as he read it. Boone dropped the document, looked to the ground and just stood there silently. The dim moonlight allowed Jill to make out tears running down his face. He just cried, and she stayed with him. For what felt like a life time, they just stood there in silence, Jill wondering how she'd convince him to join her now.


	7. Chapter 7

**Okay guys, so I was really excited about this next chapter so I decided to write it in a day. Just a little warning, there is sex in this chapter, and it's intense, so please make sure you're reading it when you're either alone, or home from work. This chapter reveals a little bit more about Jill's past, and shows a little bit of how much her companions care about her. Without further ado, here is Chapter 7. Enjoy guys, and thank you for reading and supporting this fic.**

* * *

Craig Boone was a strong man. He wasn't one to break easily, but he was alone now. He had no one. The little town he called home has betrayed him. Not one single person was willing to help him find out the truth about Carla. They all told him that she probably ran away during the night, that she didn't love him anymore, that Novac had gotten to her and she needed to get out. Boone couldn't help but feel as though he played a role in her abduction, after all, he didn't want to leave Novac no matter how many times Carla expressed her dislike. He stood silently as tears flowed from his eyes. The woman who helped him just stood there, patiently waiting for him to compose himself. Boone took a deep breath and turned towards Jeannie May Crawfords lifeless body. He walked over to it, took one last look, and kicked her over the edge. He watched her head splatter across the rocky ground upon impact. It would look like an accident, and he would be able to say he saw her trip over the edge. For a moment, time stood still as Boone just stared at her body. He shook the thought of Carla from his head and turned his gaze to his new acquaintance.

"Thanks." Boone's tone was flat. "Guess there's nothing left for me here. I'll head out in a couple days. I have no desire to protect a town that betrayed me."

"Jill." The woman said. "My name's Jill."

He remained silent.

"I'll be heading out in a couple days as well. I'm tracking down some men who shot me and left me for dead in Goodsprings. Once I find Manny and get some info from him, I'll be on my way also. You're more than welcome to join me."

"And why would I do that?" Boone didn't understand why this Jill woman would want him to tag along.

"You're the only one who can answer that." She retorted. "We all have our own demons we're running from. Sometimes it's nice to be alone, but other times, it's better to have company and friends who can help you through a hard time. I'm not saying we're friends, and we're a long way from being able to trust each other, but I do know one thing… You're a hell of a shot and I would love to have you backing me up in a fight. Maybe along the way we'll uncover more about Carla, where she's being held, and possibly rescue her."

"I'll pass." Boone wasn't one to follow people blindly, not after Bitter Springs. "I work better alone."

Without another word, Boone began making his way to his room. He was tired, depressed, and needed more whiskey. His eyes were heavy and his heart was broken. He needed an escape.

* * *

Jill watched Boone's silhouette fade into the distance. She was tired, and although she didn't get him to join her cause, at least that man would have some closure.

 _ **Guess I really am just a softie at heart. Who was I kidding when I said I didn't wanna help him out of the kindness of my heart. Ugh, I have a feeling my moral compass is going to get me sidetracked a lot. Alright Jilly, time to get some sleep.**_

Jill's feet dragged as she headed towards the Dino Dee-Lite motel, kicking dust up with each step. It was going to be sunrise soon, maybe she would just sleep in today. She opened the door to her motel room and silently cursed herself as she realized she didn't even unpack her things. With a long, drawn out sigh, she grabbed her pack and started to sort through it. She grabbed her water's, sunset sarsaparilla's, her food, and what little medical supplies she had and put them to the side. Next she sorted through her ammo, making sure she had everything organized for quick access. Last, she focused on what little the group had scavenged from Nipton. Jill had come across a beautiful red dress that she loved, and a business suit. She folded the little clothes she had and put them in her dresser, making a mental note to wash them before they left Novac. She put her food supplies and beverages in the fridge, and put her canned goods on top of it. Jill walked over to the window and closed it, the smell of bleach no longer lingering in her small shelter. Beneath the window was a machine with a knob on it that said _hot_ and _cool_ along with _high_ and _low_. Jill turned the knob to cool, then the other to high. In an instant a dormant machine from before the war kicked to life. A low hum filled the room and cool air began to flow.

 _ **This is awesome. I don't know how the hell this prewar machine is still working but I'm not complaining. At least I'll be able to sleep comfortably tonight.**_

Jill stood there and let her body bask in the cool air for a minute. She walked over to the bed and began to undress. She took off her shirt, bra, shorts, and panties and tossed them to the side. She kicked off her boots and headed towards the bed. She pulled up the covers, got nice and comfy in bed, and covered herself. She closed her eyes, melting into her little nest that was now her bed. Before she had time to think about anything, she faded off into a deep slumber. The troubles of the world disappearing as she dreamt of better days to come.

* * *

Cass woke up before everyone else. Ringo was still sound asleep so she treaded lightly, not wanting to wake him up. It's been a while since she's had any booze so Cass decided she was going to try and find a bar. She got dressed, grabbed her rifle, and headed out. The sun was just coming up, the dry Mojave air slapping her in the face. She never did like the heat. Maybe once this was all over she would go somewhere up north where it's cooler. She's heard stories about places covered in snow. It sounded so beautiful and she's always wished she had the chance to see it.

 _ **Well, when this is all over I'll definitely be setting out to find a nice cool place to settle down. The Mojave is nice and all but fuck I can't take this heat. I wish it would rain soon, that always cools shit down.**_

Cass walked around for hours but couldn't find any bars. A merchant had a few bottles of booze that would hold her over until they made their way to where ever the next destination was. Cass went into her pack and pulled out a beer. She popped the cap off, pocketed it, and took a long gulp.

"Ahh." She exhaled. "That hits the fucking spot."

Cass headed back to the motel. As she made her way there she overhead the townsfolk talking about how Jeannie May hasn't been seen since the night before. Cass instantly thought about how Jill would be happy that she's missing and laughed. It didn't take long for her to get back to the room. Ringo was awake and snacking on some sugar bombs. Cass grabbed some pork and beans and a fork. She pulled up a seat next to Ringo and started going to town on her food.

"You were up bright and early." Ringo laughed.

"Couldn't fucking sleep." Cass said with a mouthful of food. "Figured I'd see if this shithole had a bar."

"I'm guessing it didn't since you're back here already."

"Nope." Cass scoffed. "This fucking place doesn't have shit. I dunno how these people can live here. One of the stores had some alcohol but fuck man, I need a bar. I wanna sit and enjoy myself."

"Yeah, I hear you on that one. Drinking alone isn't always the most fun." Ringo added. "Plus, who wants to pour their own drinks?"

"You're fucking telling me." Cass cackled. "So have you heard from Jill yet?"

"I think she's still sleeping."

"That's weird." Cass pointed out. "She's usually the first one awake. She must have had a late night."

"Yeah, I guess so. I was hoping she would be awake by now, I wanna give her that Dino I bought for her." Ringo admitted.

"Sounds like someone has a hard on for our girl." Cass laughed.

"Fuck off." Ringo defensively exclaimed. "I just don't like seeing her down."

"Whatever loverboy."

Cass continued to eat her pork and beans as she watched Ringo grab Jill's gift and step out. She grabbed another beer from her pack, opened it and leaned her head back. She would meet up with them when she finished up with breakfast, if she didn't decide to have some fun with herself now that she was alone.

 _ **It's been a while since you've had a good fuck. Guess I'll be busting out the toys soon.**_

Cass smiled to herself at the thought, feeling herself getting excited.

* * *

Jill was standing in a casino. She wore an elegant white dress that accentuated her features. The material was snug around her breasts and hips, while draping loosely down her legs. The dress had a slit going down the side, starting at her left hip. The dress exposed her stomach in the shape of a diamond, revealing abs and her belly button. The top of her dress exposed one shoulder, while the other bore a strap for support. As she made her way towards the blackjack table, her heels clicked lightly on the marble floors. She saw a man, he was tall, had black hair, styled short and spikey, and wore a suit. Jill approached the man, grabbing his bicep with her hand, gently brushing against him. They exchanged words, and the man stood up. Jill intertwined her arm with his and they began making their way towards and elevator.

As they rode the elevator up they shared laughs. Jill wasn't interested in him at all, but he had information that she needed. After all, %*^$ would kill her if she didn't complete this mission. As they approached his room, she gave her right thigh a pat, the feeling of her knife comforting. She made sure to tuck it into the garter she wore. It was the only way to smuggle a weapon into the casino and if things didn't go as expected, she wouldn't be completely defenseless. The elevator stopped and they made their way to his room.

The gentleman locked the door and turned his gaze to Jill. She studied him as he smiled, eying her up and down. He was enticed by her appearance; it was obvious he wanted to rip her dress off. Jill smiled, offering a wink. She slowly started for him, swaying her hips as seductively as possible. She placed her hands on his chest, biting her lower lip. She gazed into his eyes, batting her lashes at him. He couldn't resist anymore. In an instant he was pressing his lips against hers. His mouth opened slightly, his tongue attempting to penetrate her lips. She allowed his tongue to enter her mouth and massage hers. They were locked in a steamy encounter as their bodies tremored with ecstasy. The man couldn't contain himself; ripping her dress off as quickly as he could. She made sure to rip her garter off and toss the knife as close to the bed as she could. Her breasts jiggled as her clothes came off. The man ushered her towards the bed, slapping her ass in the process. Her squats paid off, the man commented on how firm and tight her ass was. She crawled into bed, making sure to wiggle her ass in his face. As she turned over onto her back he was already prancing on her. His lips found her neck, kissing it softly. Jill let out a soft moan, tensing up as his scruff tickled her skin. He continued to kiss her, exploring her body with his lips. He slowly moved down toward her décolletage, inching closer to her breasts. His kisses became more sensual, opening his mouth and massaging her skin with his tongue as his lips made contact. This sent shivers down Jill's body; gasping in pleasure. At first, this was just part of the job; now her body wanted nothing more than to feel him inside of her. Her vagina was dripping wet, the sensation of lust overcoming her. The man placed his hand on her left hip, caressing gently. He continued down her chest, now at her breasts. He gently massaged her areola with his tongue. With his free hand, he massaged her other breast, rubbing his thumb over her nipple. Jill let out a moan, the sensation sending tremors throughout her entire body. He began to pinch her nipple, gently moving his two fingers in circular motions. Jill grabbed the back of his neck and pulled his face deeper into her chest. This time he nibbled her nipple gently with his teeth. Jill's body tensed, the act sending mixtures of pleasure and pain shooting through her body. He decided he was going to head down some more, wasting no time getting to her vagina. He began kissing her lips softly, not wanting to spoil the moment. As he kissed her vagina, he took his hand and grabbed his cock, slowly jerking it. He rubbed his head with his thumb as he jerked himself. Precum began leaking out of him and he used this to lube his shaft, offering more pleasure with each stroke. His tongue began dancing wildly inside of her. It moved from side to side, teasing her mercilessly. He focused on her lips, then her clitoris. Jill's vagina pulsated as she clenched the sheets on the bed, moaning loudly this time. She moved her hips in synch with his tongue, allowing for maximum pleasure. She was throbbing, she didn't know how much longer she could wait. The man stopped, and Jill glared at him. He grabbed her and forced her into the doggy style position. He slapped her ass and started rubbing her vagina with his finger. Jill took this chance to lean over the edge and grab her blade. She slid it under the pillow, and continued to relish in her delicious affair. The man told her to just relax and go with the flow; seconds later she felt him spread her ass cheeks apart and he began kissing her hole. Jill curled her toes at the sensation. It was new and exciting. It tickled, yet it also felt good. He began to draw shapes with his tongue now, massaging gently. Jill relaxed, unclenching herself. The man would occasionally thrust his tongue into her hole, causing Jill to gasp in excitement. Just as Jill was getting into it the man stopped, and slide his cock over her hole. He thrust his hips forward, letting his dick glide back and forth between her cheeks. Her sphincter twitched with ecstasy and lust each time she felt his head near it, wanting nothing more than for him to slide it in. With each thrust, she felt his precum slowly build up, diminishing the friction. She arched her back, trying to position herself so that his cock would accidently slide inside of her; but he made sure it didn't. He continued to tease her, enjoying every moment of it.

"Yeah, you like that?" The man said, his tone smooth.

"Mhm." Jill moaned. "I want you so bad."

The man slapped her ass. "Oh I'll give it to you real good" He purred.

Jill couldn't contain herself anymore, she grabbed his cock and positioned it for penetration.

"Nah ah ah" The man hummed. "Not yet, I'm not done teasing you."

He slapped her ass once again, this time hard enough to hurt. He flipped her onto her back again, the handprint on her cheek disappearing. He shifted his position, putting his knees next to her head. Jill grabbed his cock and slid it into her mouth. He began to lick her vagina some more, which sent shivers down her spine. He was on all fours on top of her. She grabbed his ass, squeezing each cheek in her hands, and pulled his hips closer to her face. She swallowed his cock whole; sliding her tongue back and forth on his shaft as it made its way down her throat. He let out a soft grunt, and she felt his cock stiffen. She opened her mouth wider, using her tongue to guide his cock further into her mouth. His head hit the back of her throat and she tightened her lips on his shaft. For a couple seconds her tongue danced wildly, feeling his cock begin to constrict with each lick. Meanwhile he was penetrating her lips with his tongue, racing between her clitoris and labia, occasionally stopping to softly nibble her folds. Jill wrapped her legs around his head and pulled him closer into her groin. Her moan muffled by his monster cock. She was only able to fit half of it in her mouth. She let up on her deep throat, her tongue frantically swirling as she slowly let his shaft out of her mouth. She continued to tease his shaft with her tongue as she bobbed her head, gently stroking his shaft with her hand. Suddenly the man got up, off the bed and walked over to her head. Jill positioned herself and leaned her head off of the edge of the bed. She opened her mouth and he slid his throbbing cock inside. Jill massaged his shaft with her tongue as he slowly thrusted forward. He then pulled it out, and repeated. Jill loved every second of it. This man's cock was gorgeous; it was about nine inches, thick, and smooth. Suddenly the man began to thrust his cock deep into her mouth, causing her to gag. She grabbed his hips and guided him to a speed and depth that she could handle. He let out a moan as Jill went to work. She was giving him everything she had, her mouth was an expert masseur. Just as he was about to reach his climax, he pulled out. He bent over and pressed his lips against hers, kissing her passionately. He couldn't resist any longer, he needed to put his cock inside of her.

* * *

There was no answer when Ringo knocked on Jill's door. He figured she must still be sleeping. He decided to do a little shopping while he waited for Cass. They would go speak to Manny and then they can fill Jill in when she wakes up. Unfortunately Novac didn't have much to offer. Doctor Ada only sold medical supplies, which Ringo decided to stock up on. He purchased some bandages, stimpacks, purified water, and rad x. He didn't think they would need rad x, but it wasn't easy to come by. Just as he was finishing up with Doctor Ada, a caravan wandered into town. Ringo felt bitter at first, missing his own caravan naturally, but realized it didn't matter anymore. He approached the caravan leader, and examined her inventory. He decided to pick up some ammo. They only had pistols and a varmint rifle, so he purchased as much 9mm and 5.56mm rounds as he could.

Ringo made his way back toward the motel when he saw Cass walking his way. She waved as he began to jog toward her.

"Jill's asleep, I knocked on her door and she didn't answer." Ringo explained.

"Fuck that girl can sleep." Cass laughed. "I'm a little envious honestly."

"Yeah, me too." Ringo added. "Come on, lets see if we can find Manny. The sooner we get the ball rolling, the sooner we can find those thugs."

It didn't take long to reach the snipers nest, and Manny was there. He was Hispanic, his facial hair was maintained very nicely, his mustache and beard thin and groomed. He wore a Red NCR Beret; his hair short and tightly trimmed. Ringo saw the way Cass looked at Manny and determined she found him attractive. They chatted for a bit and Manny explained that he would tell them everything about Rigg, who he said was really named Benny, after they do him a favor. As reluctant to agree as they were, they really didn't have any other option. Cass definitely had a color vocabulary during that conversation considering every other work was fuck. They needed to head over to the REPCONN building and take care of a ghoul infestation. He claimed it had a negative impact on the town. Whatever the reason was, Ringo didn't care. All he cared about was getting answers for Jill.

Ringo and Cass made their way back to their motel room. They agreed that they would eat lunch and then wake Jill up if she was still sleeping. They couldn't wait to get out of Novac, there was nothing to do. There weren't any shops, nor were there any places to go and have a decent meal. Unless they overlooked these things, Novac needed to establish a market. Regardless though, they had a busy day ahead of them and Ringo was happy he decided to stock up on ammo and medical supplies.

* * *

The man picked Jill up, and she wrapped her legs around his hips. He positioned his cock just right and his head slid inside of her. His cock stiffened, her vagina was tight and it was pure ecstasy. He thrust his hips forward, sliding deeper inside of her. She let out a soft moan, and clenched her muscles. He used his upper arm strength to lift her up off his cock, then back down onto it. She continued to clench and unclench at the right moments, send pleasure his way. His cock was as hard as a mountain. Jill buried her face into his neck and moan as he continued to manipulate her body, lifting her up and dropping her back down on his dick. He walked to the edge of the bed while thrusting inside of her, and sat down. He scooted toward the middle and lied on his back. Jill began ridding him slowly, teasing his cock. She yearned for it rough and hard and she could tell he did too. She leaned back, and lifted her legs, using her arms to support her weight and began riding him with intense vigor. He moaned, biting his lower lip as she continued her motion. He could see sweat building up on her, the light glistening on it, accentuating her abs and breasts. As she began to pick up the pace he couldn't help but stare at her large breasts jiggling as the sound of skin slapping filled the room. Jill shifted herself again, sitting back down, his cock deep inside of her. She could feel his stiff monster of a cock pulsating inside of her. She felt herself getting close, ready to erupt her fluids all over this mans cock. He grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her lips to his. He kissed her violently as he continued to roughly pound her, her body bouncing in synch with each thrust. She slid her hand forward and felt her knife under the pillow. He broke the kiss, and went for her neck. Biting and kissing her all over. She felt his cock stiffen and knew he was close, she was too. He held her close to him, their bodies sticky with sweat. She could feel his hot breath on her neck, feel his balls slap her taint each time he pounded his cock inside. Jill let out a loud moan as she was about to cum, gripping the sheet with one hand and the hilt of her knife with the other, when suddenly she felt the barrel of a gun pressed to her side. She didn't understand.

 _ **What the fuck is going on?**_

She slowly slid her arm out from under the pillow, hiding the knife behind her forearm. He was smiling at her, his eyes the same as a madman, he was enjoying this. Jill wouldn't make any sudden movements, after all this was life or death now.

"You thought you were cleaver, huh bitch?" The man spat. "You really thought I didn't know you were a spy? Well guess what, you're not getting any information from me. You see, I had my men follow you, and you made one fatal mistake. When you searched the area to make sure no one was around, you forgot to check under the trash in that dumpster that was nearby. He heard your whole conversation, and reported back to me."

Jill was angry with herself, and she had it written all over her face. This made the man's smile grow, and his cock too.

 _ **Fucking sicko, he's rock hard still, in fact I think his dick is even more stiff now that he see's the panic on my face.**_

"Now I'm gonna finish before I kill you, knowing you're gonna die really turns me on." He smiled. "Or maybe I'll just kill you first, then finish."

He violently thrust his cock deeper inside of her, his cock throbbing. She only had moments left before she died. She didn't have time to assess the situation; she let instinct take over. She quickly clenched her vagina as tight as she could while simultaneously throwing her left arm up, causing it to collide with his in an attempt to disarm him. While he was trying to recompose himself and get the upper hand again, Jill rolled to the right, still clenching, and heard the satisfying crack of the cartilage in his dick. The man screamed out in agony, and Jill didn't waste a second. She quickly flipped the knife around, and brought it down on his chest. The man's screams slowly became nothing more than gurgles as blood pooled in his mouth.

* * *

Jill bolted upright in her bed. Her heart pounded as she sat in a pool of her fluids. Any sexual drive she might have had died, along with the man in her dream. Her head was killing her. She could feel the migraine pulsating behind her right eye. She began to rub her temples, hoping to ease the pain. Beams of sunlight peeked through the window to her right, reminding her that she slept later than she had hoped. She sat there for a couple minutes, just thinking about her dream. It was so vivid, and lifelike. The feelings were intense, her fluids soaking the sheets only reinforcing that.

 _ **Was it a dream? I feel like I remember that. As if it really happened. This headache is awful though. Maybe I'm starting to remember my past? It does seem like it was similar to the last time I recalled my past, they both ended with me killing someone. Maybe I'm just a murderer. Maybe I really am a terrible person.**_

The thought of that brought Jill to tears and she tried her hardest to fight them off. She didn't want to be a terrible person. She didn't want to remember her past anymore. Each time it gets worse. If she had to guess, she would say she was an assassin of some sort. Spy sounded a little too cliché and didn't really seem fitting. Jill took a deep breath and got out of bed. She made her way to the bathroom, plugging the tub up when she got there. She turned the knob for hot water as far as she could, and the one for cold water about halfway. The faucet came to life, spewing water out. She hopped in the tub and relished in the warmth of the water. Soon the tub was filled to the top and she was leaning back with her eyes closed. The hot water blanketed her from the chilly motel room. She would relax before she set out on the hunt for answers yet again.


	8. Chapter 8

**Welcome back everyone! I hope you're enjoying all of these updates the past few days. I've kind of left you guy's hanging for a couple months so this is my way of making it up to you. There's a NSFW section in this chapter so readers beware! Before we begin learning a bit more about our heroes in this chapter, I just want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who is still reading Jill's Journey. Your support means everything to me and I'm glad you're enjoying it. And please feel free to leave some reviews, good or bad. Don't forget to favorite and follow this story either while you're at it!**

 **Alright, I hope you guy's enjoy chapter 8!**

* * *

A loud knock at the door snapped Jill back to reality. She quickly got out of the tub; beads of water falling to the floor as she reached for her towel. She wiped herself dry, wrapping herself in the towel as she went to discover who was knocking. The door swung open to Ringo and Cass standing in the doorway. Cass was leaning to the side, her leg supporting her weight, arms crossed while Ringo stood behind her smiling. Jill invited them in, making her way to the bathroom to get dressed. She pulled up some old stockings, one leg at a time, using the toilet as a seat. She grabbed a white button up shirt and slid her arms inside, making sure to stop buttoning when she reached her cleavage. The white shirt was tight, and her breasts looked as though they were going to pop out any second. The shirt didn't have any sleeves; offering little shelter from the blazing sun. Jill silently cursed as she knocked over her water, the glass exploding on impact, while reaching for her skirt.

 _ **Fuck, glasses are so hard to come by nowadays. I'll have to be more mindful of where I leave things.**_

Ringo called out to Jill from the other room asking her if she was okay, and she admitted she's just a klutz today. She stepped into the pencil skirt and hoisted it up to her hips. The skirt hugged her thighs tightly, the black material ending a couple inches above her knees. She managed to find some old heels earlier when cleaning out her room and fit perfectly. They were black; open toed and designed for elegance. Thin straps weaving around her foot in every direction up to her ankle. The heel was about six inches high causing Jill to worry if she would be able to walk in them. Jill took a quick look at herself in the mirror, what portion of it wasn't broken and cracked that is, and decided she looked good. She looked professional while maintaining some sex appeal. She debated putting on the suit jacked she had found with it but decided against it. She didn't want to overdo it and give herself heat stroke. Her hair had a slight wave to it, gently falling down, barely grazing her shoulder blades. Her bangs feathered into the rest of her hair starting at her cheek bones, her hair parting in the middle of her left eyebrow. She looked at the few freckles she had on her nose and cheeks, smiling at the thought of those little imperfections making her that much more beautiful.

Jill stumbled out of the bathroom, still trying to get her bearings while walking in heels.

"Even when you walk like a fucking idiot, you still manage to look beautiful." Cass bowed before Jill, sarcastic as ever.

"Knock it off." Jill pouted. "It's not funny. I'd like to see you try and walk in these things."

"Good fucking luck." Cass laughed. "I wouldn't be caught dead in those."

"Well excuse me for trying something new." Jill quipped.

"I think you look stunning." Ringo added as he studied her new look.

"Thanks. I don't know how I feel about my hair though. I'm so used to it being tied up." Jill admitted.

"Oh, he'll tie you up alright." Cass purred. "Just like he did back at that shithole of an outpost."

Jill turned beat red. She forgot Cass heard their little encounter.

"I just can't win today." Sighing, Jill decided she would change the subject. "Alright, I guess we can head out now and find Manny. Let me just grab gear before we leave."

"Actually." Ringo interrupted. "We already spoke to Manny. You were sound asleep so we figured we would get the ball rolling for you."

"Apparently some shit happened and there are wild zombies running terrorizing something. Whatever the fuck that something is, Manny wants us to fix the problem or some shit so traders can come to Novac and the town won't fall to shit or something like that."

Ringo looked at Cass, his face expressing that he thought Cass was a dumbass. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "That's basically the gist of it." He said. "While Cass gave you a very terrible and vague explanation, we do need to take care of a feral ghoul problem. Why she called them zombies, I have no idea."

"Figures." Jill sighed.

"What are you figuring?" Cass questioned.

"Everyone expects us to just run around doing them favors in exchange for answers. Half of the time it's a huge favor that is, no way in comparison, even close to being appropriate for a fucking answer. How does telling me where I can find Ri—"

"Benny. Manny told us his name." Ringo corrected.

"Benny." Jills tone sarcastic. "Compare to killing feral ghouls? Or finding a fucking sheriff for Primm for that matter. I just don't understand how someone can really sit there and expect us to just risk our lives for something as simple as the name of a fucking town or pointing us in a goddamn direction."

Jill was furious. She would rather pay someone caps than run around shooting things and risking her life because someone was too lazy or too incompetent to actually do something about it. She had a long journey ahead of her and didn't need to waste ammo or medical supplies on trivial matters that had nothing to do with her.

"Hey." Cass took a serious tone. "When you first got here, you were excited. You didn't say anything, but I can tell you're thinking about coming back here after you find Benny. Just looking at your room and how much you cleaned it shows that you consider this place home right now. It might not be the best town around but it sure as hell ain't the worst. I know you want answers, trust me I know that more than anyone else we've run into, but you need to be patient. Don't let yourself get upset because we have to go help the town you're thinking about calling home. I want answers too. I want to know why my caravan was destroyed, who attacked it, and why they burned my cargo instead of looting it. I want to find out if it really was sabotage or just a bad coincidence. I put my search on hold because I want to help you. You're an amazing person and didn't deserve a single thing that happened to you. You're good natured and have a huge heart, I've witnessed it firsthand. Deep down inside I know you want to help this town, but you also want answers and you want them as fast as possible. I might not be sober often, you know how I love my whiskey, but even when I'm buzzed I can still see with clear eyes."

Cass's words calmed Jill down. She was a good person with a huge heart. She loved helping people. Seeing others smile, laugh, and celebrating brought joy to her heart-

 _ **Who the hell are you kidding Jilly. You're not a good person, you're a murderer. You were an assassin. You killed people for a living and terrorized them. You might be a "**_ **good"** _ **guy now, but maybe that's just because you're running from what little past you can recall.**_

Jill shook the thought from her head. She wouldn't let her inner thoughts rip her apart. She would keep her recollection of yet another memory to herself until she was ready to talk about it. She didn't need them judging her. She still hasn't opened up about the man she shot in cold blood and she sure as hell wasn't about to open up about murdering a man right after fucking him. She didn't want to lose the only two friends she had.

"Alright, lets head out then, where are these ghouls hiding?" She asked.

"A REPCONN facility not too far from here, I think it might be west." Ringo said.

As they headed out the door, Jill turned around and took one last look at her room. Her body cast in a silhouette as sunlight illuminated the outside world. Taking a deep breath, she closed the door; unaware that this was only the beginning of her journey.

* * *

Carla Boone let out an ear piercing scream that could break glass. Boone jolted out of bed and slammed the door to their motel room open. He scanned the area and couldn't see a single thing. He picked up his sniper rifle and slung it on his back. He took off in a sprint, following the sounds of Carla's frantic screams. He pumped his arms as hard as he could, straining every leg muscle as he tried to run faster. He couldn't let The Legion take Carla- wouldn't. He veered at the gates to the motel parking lot, grabbing his sniper and looking down the scope. He saw movement at ten o'clock and broke out into a sprint once again. He could catch up to them in a couple of minutes if he kept up this pace. He dodged the rocks and plants that obscured his path, shifting his direction as needed. There was a boulder, about four feet high in front of him and he kicked off the ground vigorously, vaulting over it with ease. Boone was so focused on catching up to Carla he didn't notice the rock in his way until it was too late. His foot grazed it, knocking him off balance. Thinking fast, he tucked his arms and torso in, entering a roll. He bent his legs, and rolled out of his stumble, using this trick to maintain his momentum. As the wind whipped past him and the adrenaline coursed through his veins he was able to catch up enough, allowing him to make out figures in the distance. This only fueled the fire lit inside of him, causing himself to push the limits of his body. Sweat began slithering down his face, tiny beads breaking off and dropping to the ground.

Suddenly, he stood still. He saw a member of Caesars Legion holding a knife to the throat of a woman. It wasn't Carla, and Boone's heart sank. They stood there, studying each other for a moment. The woman wasn't resisting, instead her body still and her eyes closed. Boone wasn't able to make out who the woman was, the wind's fierce howl causing her hair to cover her face. Dust filled the open space; wind kicking up rock and sand particles that hit Boone's skin, the impact causing a stinging sensation that made him flinch. The Legionary pulled the woman closer, adding pressure to the knife held to her throat. Boone reached for his rifle but it was too late. His brain slowed down time as he tried to register the events transpiring. Droplets of blood could be seen filling the air as the knife slowly made its way across her throat. A red liquid slowly spewed out, painting the desert sand a deep crimson. The woman let out a gurgled cry and her body fell to the floor. The Legionary took off running and Boone raced to the woman's side. He ripped off a part of his sleeve, crouching down as he pressed it against her wound. Her body twitched as she hastily gasped for air. He applied pressure, trying to reassure her that he would save her. He watched the woman stare blankly into the wasteland as what little life she had left began to wither. He picked her up and laid her in his lap, brushing her hair out of her face with his hand. His eye's widened when he realized who she was. He felt a tear begin to build up as he watched this woman slowly die in his arms. His head hung low; his heart breaking for her.

Boone suddenly woke up. He searched the trashed motel room frantically before realizing it was only a dream. He didn't dream often and when he did dream it didn't make sense. He always dreamt of random things. This dream was so vivid though, so life like.

 _ **Is my conscience trying to tell me something? Is this a bad omen or some shit? It was so vivid, I could have sworn it was real. I've never dreamt about anything like this except when it was of Bitter Springs. That damn mission ruined my fucking life. It's half of the reason I feel this fucking shitty.**_

Boone quickly dismissed the thought, that wasn't important right now. He didn't know what that dream meant or why that woman was in it, however, he knew exactly what he needed to do. It didn't take long for Boone to get out of bed. He opened the motel door and took a deep breath. He set off to find Doctor Ada; he needed to find that woman so that he could protect her at all costs. Today was the beginning of a new chapter in his life, and just maybe, the beginning to the closure he needed.

* * *

Cass took a swig from her trusty flask, swallowing hard as the whiskey burned her throat. She let out a satisfying sigh as her alcohol hit the spot. The desert was always so boring, and they've been walking around for nearly forty five minutes now. Thanking the alcohol for making her feel good.

"Hey look!" Jill pointed off into the distance.

"There it is." Excitement filling Ringo's voice. "We're almost there."

"Bout fucking time." Cass added. "We've been walking forever."

"Let's get this over with, how hard could a couple of ghouls be to take out?" Jill asked.

"Those fuckers are tougher than you think, keep your guard up." Cass explained.

Ringo nodded in agreement and they continued on their way, Jill deciding to keep her hand above her pistol at all times.

As they neared the building, several feral ghouls retreated from their cover, sprinting frantically towards the group. Jill quickly unholstered her pistol, looked down the sights, and fired. She was rewarded with a headshot, the ghoul crumbling to the ground. She aimed at the second one and before she could pull the trigger, it fell to the floor, Cass saying 'gotchya fucker' from behind. She saw Ringo take out two more. A sharp pain coursed through Jill's body. She quickly spun around to see a ghoul had slashed her leg open with razor sharp nails. She opened fire, flattening three rounds in its head. She heard a ghoul behind her let out a disgusting sound and spun around—and it was lunging at her! Seconds before the ghouls blow connected with Jill's face, Cass opened fire, the force of the impact shifting the ghoul just enough to barely miss her face. Ringo ran over to Jill and reached into his pack and pulled out some bandages and vodka. He poured some vodka on an old cloth and started dressing her wound. She had three claw marks going across the back of her calf and boy did it sting.

"Ouch" Jill winced.

"It's going to sting, but we don't want you to get an infection. Feral ghouls are disgusting and unsanitary, not to mention the amount of radiation poisoning they went through, so we need to take care of your wound." Ringo began wrapping her leg with the cloth.

Jill knew he was right, the last thing she needed to was to turn into one of those things.

 _ **I'm pretty sure that's how it works. I'll have to ask Cass later on when Ringo isn't around. She'll be honest with me at least. Ringo though, he'll try to beat around the bush.**_

Jill searched the ghouls' corpses before deciding to press on. Cass and Ringo followed her lead and to their success they were rewarded with three stimpacks, some caps, and a pack of cigarettes. None of them smoked but they took it anyway. They weren't rich so they would need to take whatever was worth value to sell.

As they drew closer to the REPCONN facility Jill was amazed at the layout. There was a giant rocket in the middle of the road. Two tall staircases led up to the front courtyard of the building. At the top of the staircase were two more feral ghouls. Jill and Ringo quickly disposed of them while Cass covered the rear. They weren't going to let another ghoul sneak up on them.

As soon as they entered the REPCONN Test Site facility, an intercom crackled to life.

"Hey! Over here! Are you listening?" The man's voice was raspy. "Go to the big room on the east side of this building and take the metal staircase all the way up, and hurry!"

Just intercom went dark just as quickly as it had come to life.

"What the fuck is that about?" Cass asked.

"I dunno." Jill replied. "Let's listen to him for now; it's a start at least."

"We could be walking into a trap!" Ringo exclaimed. "I don't think that's the best idea."

"Listen, I don't know about you two but I get a bad feeling here. I feel like someone is watching me and I'd like to get this over with as quick as possible." Jill explained. "Let's just hurry up."

Jill turned toward the east and let out a shriek of terror. There was a giant monster lying on the ground covered in blood.

"What the hell is that thing?" She wore an expression of disgust mixed with fear as she pointed to the foreign creature.

"It's a super mutant. We better be careful." Ringo explained. "There might be more lurking around."

"Let's watch out for ghouls too, they might have been the ones who killed this super mutant." Cass added.

They made their way east; rummaging through desks and trashcans along the way. They came across a couple of feral ghouls and disposed of them with ease. Jill commented on the smell of burnt flesh and rot, desperately wishing she had a gas mask. The group swept each room they came across, one of them going in low, and the other two watching the sides. The winding corridors made it feel like a maze, the feeling of danger lurking around every turn made them all the more cautious.

They finally reached a giant room with a metal staircase. Jill looked up in amazement; the stairs weren't very long, letting up at walkways that branched off in so many directions, she'd never seen a staircase do that before. All the staircases she ever came across just went straight up. Jill took the lead while Cass covered the rear. She crouched low, moving slowly to allow her eyes to adjust to the poorly lit room. Ringo was behind her, walking with his gun ready; if anything snuck up on them, he could focus on the same target as Jill without her distorting his view.

* * *

Ringo had to admit Jill was clever, not even the NCR moved around like this. It made perfect sense. Jill being in a crouch allowed for both of them to scan the area ahead without a hassle and let them both focus on firing without shooting each other. Jill wanted Cass to take up the rear since she had a more powerful weapon. Her rife would also allow her to take out any target they might have missed at long range.

So far there weren't any threats, but Ringo wasn't letting his guard down. Last time one of them did that Jill ended up with an injury. They were reaching the top of the metal maze and Jill slowed the pace. There was a metal corridor with a few lights overhead illuminating it. Ringo scanned the hall and it was clear. Another intercom crackled to life as they approached the door. The same raspy voice from before began speaking.

"Alright, Smoothskin, I'm letting you in. You better watch yourself, I'll sure as hell be watching you."

The metal door produced a soft click and Jill grabbed the handle and swung it open. A man addressed them as they proceeded through the door.

"God, but are you ugly! Get upstairs and talk to Jason before I throw up just from looking at you."

* * *

Jill didn't like this man, not one bit. He was rude. And what the hell was a smoothskin. He was the one talking to them on the intercom; that much she gathered.

"Your skin is pretty smooth too you know." Cass claimed.

"Your tricks won't work on me smoothskin." The man responded. "And they won't work on Jason either. Go upstairs and talk to him, smoothskin."

Jill was just about to yell at this man when Ringo placed his hand on her shoulder. She turned to face him and he just smiled, walking past her. He asked where Jason was and the man pointed them in the direction. They made their way up some stairs and swung a left. Jill scanned the surroundings and saw a Glowing Ghoul. He wore a torn up coat and some ripped jeans that exposed the glowing parts of his flesh. That must be Jason.

He approached them and apologized for their habitat. He told them how him and the other ghouls wanted to go to some foreign land to escape the wasteland and the bigotry of humans. Jason asked them to take care of the demons in the basement so that they may make their great journey and leave this place once and for all. Jill sighed, knowing that she needed to help them out in order to get Manny to talk. After agreeing the group made their way to the basement, Jason giving them a map of the compound.

It wasn't hard to find, the entrance not too far from the ghouls' hideout. Jill couldn't shake the feeling of someone watching them as they made their way around the basement. The corridors all twisted and turned in every direction. She paused for a moment, closing her eyes. Relying on her sense of sound, she patiently listened. She heard a faint footstep from behind them, confirming her suspicions. She continued to listen, and heard someone talking to Antler. She decided to ignore their stealthy friend and head for Antler and his companion. Maybe they would be the demons that Jason spoke of.

The voice grew louder as they approached a door, Jill opened it and Ringo and Cass aimed at a giant super mutant. He wore a leather outfit, his muscular arms exposed, the top portion of his shirt looked as if it was a giant handkerchief. It was red, while the rest of his clothing was brown and sported patches of different shades of leather. He wore arm guards, made out of fur. He began asking Antler what to do, but Jill didn't see anyone else. She clenched her pistol tight, ready to fight if she needed to. The mutant accused them of being an assassin and asked Antler what to do again. After a couple seconds, it spoke.

"Uhh, hi, human."

"Hello." Jill replied with a smile. "The ghouls upstairs asked me to come and speak to you about leaving this place."

"Not an option human." The mutant replied. "We told the ghouls to keep out of basement but they no listen. My kin, something wrong with them. They are not right in the head like me. They attack, human or ghoul, does not matter. We cannot leave until we find what Antler make us come for."

"Maybe I can help you with that." Jill replied.

"We search for sheet, manifest. Tells us where to find over one hundred stealth boys." The mutant answered. "Find that and we leave. But be careful, my kin attack you human. It must be in one room we don't search yet. A ghoul set traps and shoot at us. I lock door to keep kin out. Antler says you are solution, let me give you key. The ghoul inside not expecting a human, maybe he don't shoot you, maybe he will."

Jill grabbed the key from the mutant and started heading towards the locked room. It didn't take long to find it. She opened the door and instantly spotted the ghoul. He was surprised to see her, saying he didn't expect a human. After chatting for a bit the ghoul agreed to leave if we could find out what happened to his friend who ran off rather than stay when he decided to tactically set up this room for defense. The Super Mutants kin were out for blood and it was the only way he could survive. Without wasting any more time the group decided to go searching for his friend.

Jill still couldn't shake the feeling that someone was following them. She stopped and searched her surroundings. That's when she say it; a super mutant's stealth boy malfunctioned for a second, making it visible again. Jill heard the monstrous steps of the mutant and opened fire in that direction. Four rounds pounded into the monsters chest, the blood from the wounds exposing the creatures position. Just as Jill was about to fire another round, two mutants, including the one she just shot, appeared. Their stealth boy's wore off and they were coming right at her. Ringo and Cass opened fire as well, and they quickly downed one of the mutants. Jill heard footsteps behind her and spun around to see a mutant charging for her, his fist held high. Jill put her arm's up to brace for the blow when all of a sudden Ringo pushed her out of the way, the mutants blow sending Ringo flying into the wall, knocking him unconscious. Cass had her hands full with the other mutant. Jill just narrowly dodged her attackers fist, rolling to the side. This mutant was fast. He was already bringing his other fist down and Jill closed her eyes, knowing this would be the end. A thunderous gunshot rang throughout the metal hall's and when Jill opened her eyes, she saw the mutant fall lifelessly to the floor. As she stared straight ahead, she saw a man crouched down with a sniper rifle. The man fired another shot, killing Cass's attacker. He lowered his weapon and exposed his face.

 _Holy shit, that's Boone. What's he doing here? Did he decide to help Manny out by getting rid of the ghouls? Whatever the case may be, I'm just glad he saved my ass._

* * *

Boone walked over to Jill and extended his hand out. She grabbed it and he lifted her up off the ground.

"Are you okay?" His tone low.

"Yeah, if you hadn't shown up when you did, I would be a goner right now. So thank you." Jill smiled.

Boone nodded and walked over to Ringo who was still unconscious. He placed his two fingers on his neck, relieved that he was still alive. He slapped Ringo a couple times in the face, the sensation enough to make Ringo come to. Boone helped Ringo up to his feet.

"So, not that I'm ungrateful or anything." Jill started. "But why are you here?"

"I came looking for you. I wanted to know if I can tag along with you guys." Boone admitted. "You helped me find some closure about Carla, I wanted to repay that favor."

 _ **I can't tell them the truth. I just need to stick to that. She helped me with Carla so I'll help her stay alive. It wasn't a complete lie, they just don't need to think I'm crazy.**_

"Welcome aboard." Jill wrapped her arms around Boone, hugging him tightly. "This is Cassidy, but call her Cass, and that's Ringo."

"Howdy." Cass said, blowing a kiss his way.

"Hey there." Ringo offered a smile.

"Hi, I'm Craig Boone, but you can call me Boone." He nodded. "So what are you guys doing here?"

"Well." Jill started. "Long story short I got shot in the head and left for dead a couple weeks back. I've been searching for the guys who tried to kill me, and I can't remember anything about my past, except my name and a couple other little details. Sometimes I make little mistakes like an inappropriate gesture when I don't mean to because of it. We're here in this place because Manny won't give me any info on the guy who shot me unless I clear out the ghouls. Which they want to leave, but they can't because these mutants are in the basement blocking their journey so now I'm trying to find this guy's friend because he won't let me in a room that I need to search in for stealth boy's so the mutants can leave unless I find his friend and let him know if she's dead or alive."

Boone just nodded his head. Manny always was one to try and get other people to do tedious shit like this. Boone continued on with the group, taking up the rear since he had the most powerful weapon now. While they searched for this ghoul girl Boone observed his new companions. Jill was dressed in what seemed like sultry business attire. Last time he saw her she wore cowboy boots, a tight tank top that showed off some of her abdomen, and booty shorts. Her hair was also down, and Boone couldn't decide if it looked better down, or tied up. Ringo kept eyeing Jill up, it was obvious he was attracted to her. Boone wondered if they were a couple, noting that it would be good for any woman to have a man willing to risk his life to protect them. Cass was a hard ass from what he could tell. Her walk was kind of butch with a touch of femininity to it. She sported jeans with some rips in them, a button down shirt, and a cowboy hat. She sported a varmint rifle and seemed tough enough to hold her own. He also noticed that she rigged her belt to hold a flask above her left back pocket, which jiggled with each step she took.

 _ **She likes alcohol. My type of girl.**_

Just as Boone was going to continue assessing the group; Ringo tripped over something. Boone looked down to see the corpse of a female ghoul.

"Guess that's his friend." Jill sighed. "That poor man is gonna be upset. Let's see if we can find a memento for him on her."

Jill began searching the ghoul, taking her ammo and caps. She won't be needing it anyway. She didn't have any memento's on her so they made their way back. It didn't take long for the group to backtrack to the ghoul. They informed him of his friends death and he held up his end of the bargain. He took off running, stating he was making a break for the exit. Boone began to sift through some containers and see what loot he could find for the group. Jill disappeared into the distance.

"Hey Ringo, there are some mines here. Can you work your magic?" Jill called out.

Ringo headed over and Boone decided to head upstairs. He found a decent amount of ammo, some chems, a good deal of alcohol and a couple packs of cigarettes. While he was continuing his search he heard Jill yell out that she found the shipment manifest.

"Alright, let's finish searching the room for stuff before we leave, you never know what might come in handy." Boone called out.

The search didn't turn up anything useful in particular but at least they found some junk they could sell. Boone had a feeling they were going to need all the money they could find to maintain their equipment and supplies.

* * *

Cass wanted nothing more than to get back to the motel and sink into the bed. She was exhausted and hungry. This trip turned out to be a pain in the ass. The only bright side was that Boone had joined them and she had eye candy now. She couldn't stare at him much without it being obvious.

 _ **Fucking shit. Why did he have to take the fucking rear? Why couldn't I stay there so I can stare at his ass and his nice strong arms all day? I bet his cock is fucking huge. Oh what I wouldn't do for some amazing sex.**_

Cass let out a soft sigh as they trekked their way back to that creepy mutant. Hopefully they would leave and the ghouls would get on with their lives. Cass didn't want to waste time doing favors for every asshole in the Mojave. They all had enough problems; they didn't need some douchebag adding to them.

They reached the super mutant within minutes and Jill handed him the manifest. It explained that the stealth boys were shipped here by accident; the employee's ended up shipping it to wherever the manifest said. The mutant didn't trust Jill and argued that she wanted to keep them all for herself. Thankfully Antler agreed with the manifest, calming the mutant down. After telling the group it was their lucky day, he quickly gathered his kin and set out. All that was left to do was let the ghouls know.

* * *

Vulpes continued to think about that silly woman. She effortlessly defeated all of his men. The Legion needed to increase combat training. If more of the dissolute were able fighters like her; they would need to be prepared. They needed longer training sessions that were both merciless and challenging. The recruits would need to push their limits if they wanted to surpass her, and Vulpes refused to let a woman of all people, to outshine his men. He would need to speak to Caesar about that. But first, he needed to care of an urge.

He was alone in his tent; the thought of that fierce woman driving him inside. She was an amazon if he ever did see one, he's read about them in some of the books he's found. Vulpes managed to arouse himself at the thought of her skill. The way she dodged her assailants, her tit's jiggling with every movement. Her brutal hand to hand combat, the thought of her breaking one of his recruits arm with her legs fueled his arousal. He slid one hand down his pants, palming the shaft of his cock. A slither of precum emerged from his head. He leaned back farther in his chair, extending his legs has he used his free hand to slip his dick out of his pants. It's long and thick shaft springing upward. Veins ran along his shaft, his dick twitched, wanted nothing but stimulation. He grabbed his rock hard cock and began stroking it slowly. He closed his eyes, leaning his head back as he began replaying their encounter. He tightened the grip on his cock and picked up the pace. Each time he stroked upward, precum leaked out, lubing him up. Each stroke added another feeling of ecstasy, increasing with every passing second. He opened his hand and spat on his cock, a fraction of his thick shaft lying flat in his palm. He groped his raging erection and picked up the pace, biting his lower lip as he pictured his Amazonian woman bring her assailant to the ground with her thighs. He saw sparks as their blades collided, nearing his climax. He quickened his pace, the sound of skin slapping as he continued to pound his groin. Blood spewed from a cut off limb, and with that his cock began constricting. A thick creamy liquid shot out with each muscle spasm, the explosion massive.

Vulpes let out a sigh of pleasure as his cock went limp. For a moment, he didn't move. He had just sinned. Man was not to masturbate; that was for the dissolute. If a man wanted pleasure, he was to go out and get it. The slaves were there for more than just field work after all. He looked down at the sticky mess, deciding to clean it before someone discovered his pleasurable sin.

* * *

Jill was glad to be out of the REPCONN facility. They had a new companion traveling with them, Chris Haversam. After telling Jason the basement was clear he asked for their help once more. They needed to launch a spaceship for Jason and his fellow ghouls so they could leave this wasteland and continue on their great journey. Before Jason boarded the spaceship he asked Jill to take Chris with her back to the nearby town. Chris was special, he said. Jason told her how Chris was an outcast among fellow humans; thinking himself to be a ghoul. Chris would inevitably die if he continued on the great journey with them, due to the harsh amount of radiation where they were going. Jill agreed, and although Chris wasn't happy about it, he obliged.

The sun was setting, painting the Mojave with a deep orange glow. Jill was exhausted and she was sure her comrades were as well. Jill dragged her feet, leaving long imprints in the sand. She couldn't wait to get back to her room and lay down. She expended all of her energy; the thought of cool air and her bed was the only thing keeping her from collapsing.

"I'm exhausted." Jill leaned forward, her arms falling limp. "Let's call it a night when we get back to town. We can find Manny in the morning."

"Thank fucking god." Cass rubbed her eyes. "I can't make it another step. All I want to do is sleep."

"Same here." Ringo added. "Chris, you can stay in our room until you get situated and a place of your own. We have plenty of floor space."

"Alright, smoothskin." Chris wasn't happy about it. "Don't try anything funny cause I'll be watching you."

Boone listened silently and Jill felt uneasy.

 _ **It's weird how he's not much of a talker and doesn't seem too friendly but wants to travel with us. Even though I helped him out I don't think it's as simple as him repaying the favor. I'll make sure to keep an eye on him; something tells me he has an ulterior motive.**_

The group parted ways and Jill began climbing the stairs to her room; unaware that Boone was watching her, making sure her surroundings were safe. She opened the door to her room and headed straight for the bed, not bothering to undress. Her eyes were heavy and her body ready to give in. She would ask Cass if she was going to turn into a ghoul tomorrow, right now she needed her bed. All of her aches and pains disappeared as she crawled into bed; achieving deep sleep within a matter of minutes.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys, sorry I fell a little bit behind. I went to Comic Con in San Diego two weeks ago and when I came back my grandmother (who raised me and I currently still live with.) had major surgery to remove cancer from her lung so I've been busy helping her out. Anyway, this chapter focused mostly on some character building, with a slight twist at the end. I hope you guys enjoy, and as always, thank you for being faithful readers and loving this story!**

* * *

Jill was in bed, her blanket wrapped around her while she held one of her pillows close to her body, when a knock at her door cause her to jump up. She had been feeling on edge since her dreams had become flooded with memories. Jill wasn't sure how to cope with it. She did her best to keep herself composed but on the inside; she trembled. The fear of knowing she was some kind of cold blooded killer and most likely had enemies worried her. She had maintained a sunny disposition since she woke up in Doc Mitchell's house however it has begun to wither away as of late.

There was another knock at the door and Jill removed her covers, tossing them to the side. She sat up, stretching her arms as she yawned. She stood up, ignoring the sharp pain she felt on her calf. She opened the weathered motel room door, squinting her eyes as the sun beamed through. She was able to make out Ringo's silhouette and stepped to the side. Ringo closed the door behind him as he entered her domain.

"Hey Jill." He smiled. "How's your leg?"

"I'm not gonna lie." She sighed. "It hurts like a bitch still. When I got out of bed I felt a sharp stinging sensation."

"Fuck…." Ringo muttered. "Let me take a look at it again. If it's stinging, it might be infected."

"Good thing you're the groups medic, otherwise we would be fucked." Jill laughed as Ringo lifted her pant leg, examining her wound.

"I'm far from a medic." Ringo admitted. "I know the basics. How to clean a cut but anything more advanced like broken bones or a concussion, I'm clueless. Bartering is my specialty."

"That it is, you can be very persuasive." Jill bit her lip.

"Oh? Is that so?" Ringo questioned as he sprung up and began to gently push her down onto the bed.

Jill giggled, the movement causing her breasts to jiggle slightly. Noticing Ringo enjoyed watching the jiggle, she began to shimmy her chest in his face. Ringo was leaning in to initiate a kiss when Jill started to laugh uncontrollably.

"I'm sorry!" Jill admitted between laughs. "I don't know why this is funny."

Ringo smiled and joined in on Jill's laughter. They lied there laughing for a couple minutes before composing themselves.

"Not in the mood?" Ringo asked.

"I'm sorry, it's just that.." Jill sighed.

The motel room door flung open before Jill could say anything else. She focused her attention on the intruder, realizing that it was only Cass.

"Alright fuckers, lets go." Cass demanded. "We did what we had to so the sooner we get out of this town, the better."

"What's your rush?" Ringo quipped. "It's not often we get to relax."

"There's no fucking booze here!" Cass yelled. "I ran out of what little this fucking hellhole managed to have."

It was obvious Cass was going through withdraws of alcohol. Jill was able to put that much together but she wasn't sure that Ringo was as quick to realize.

"Boone has alcohol." Jill said. "I'm going to go see if I can find him, maybe he'll share some with you."

Before Ringo or Cass could say anything else, Jill jumped up and left the room, leaving the two of them to bicker amongst themselves.

* * *

Boone was just finishing up packing his things when Jill knocked on his door. She explained that Cass was going through withdraw and needed some booze pronto. Boone wasn't fond of sharing his alcohol but couldn't say no when Jill was the one asking. He reluctantly handed her over a bottle of whiskey.

"So are we heading out now?" Boone asked.

"I still need to shower…" Jill was thinking. "Meet at my room in about an hour. That should give you enough time to finish up right?"

"Yeah that's plenty of time." Boone smirked. "Talk to Manny yet?"

"Nope." Jill admitted. "I thought we could do that after we all meet up at my place."

"Sounds like a plan." Boone saluted her, trying to put a smile on her face. "See you in an hour."

Jill offered a warm smile and took her leave.

Boone grabbed his pack and slung his rifle over his shoulder. He took one last look at his home. The room was a mess. Empty bottles scattered the floors; beer, scotch, vodka and whiskey. Sections of the carpet were stained by his vomit. A trashcan sat next to his bedside for emergencies. His life was a mess and his room only reinforced that fact.

 _ **Carla used to say the way a person's organizational skills are is also a reflection on themselves. Guess it's true cause I'm just as much of a mess as this shitty room is. Can't say I won't miss it.**_

Boone opened the door and felt the warm touch of sunlight on his skin. He stepped out of his room, closed the door and locked it. He couldn't bring himself to abandon this motel. It's all he has left of Carla. Maybe one day he'll come back, with a new family.

Some last minute shopping killed just enough time. Boone was able to stock up on medical supplies, food, water and ammo. He had ten minutes to spare but decided to head to Jill's anyway. He'd rather be early than be left behind. He slowly made his way up the steps. Boone wasn't one to question whether he would fit in or not, generally he didn't really care. He was usually just doing his job, however, he had butterflies this time. He couldn't help but feel nervous; uneasy. He didn't want the group to dislike him but then again he never was one for idle chit chat. His socialization skills were terrible and unless he had trouble expressing how he felt.

 _ **Except with Carla, we would talk for hours. I would tell her all about the adventures I've been on, the places I've been to and all about my childhood…. God did I have a shitty childhood. I just hope they don't make it uncomfortable. I already feel creepy enough, I basically stalked them.**_

Boone swallowed and reached for the door knob and paused. He made a fist and knocked gently on the door. He wasn't just going to barge right in. After a couple seconds the door swung open, revealing a slender figure. There were beads of water dripping off her sun kissed skin. A towel hugged her frame tightly, revealing an hourglass figure. Strands of wet hair clung to her face while the rest were tied up in a bun. She had long legs and her towel fell maybe an inch lower than her hips, barely concealing her vagina. Her breasts were pushed together, a little bit of cleavage was visible. She offered a warm smile and stepped to the side, allowing Boone to enter.

"Uhhh Jill?" Boone looked to the floor. "I don't think you should be opening the door like that."

"Why?" Jill was puzzled. "Is it because I don't have my gun with me? I can definitely fend someone off with just my hands."

Boone chuckled. "No, nothing like that. You just don't want people to get the wrong idea. You're not exactly decent."

"Are you calling me ugly?!" Jill huffed, she was furious now. "Craig Boone, you are an asshole. I can't believe you would even say something like that. I have feelings you know!" She jabbed her finger into his chest. "Just because you don't think I look decent doesn't give you any right to say that and make me feel bad about myself!"

"Whoa!" Boone put his hands up. "I didn't mean it like that. It's a phrase people say. When someone says they aren't decent, it means that they aren't fully dressed, or that they might be revealing more than they want someone to see. I would never call you ugly, that's far from the truth."

Boone hoped that Jill would understand what he meant. He wanted to diffuse this situation before it got any worse.

"Oh okay, I get it." Jill giggled. "Sorry, I didn't mean to flip out like that. Guess I'm just a little insecure is all. I'm going to go get dressed now, be back in a second!"

Boone let out a long sigh. That could have gone south fast. He looked around the room and noticed that it was spotless. The carpet looked practically brand new and all of the furniture was dusted. The bed had been made and there was a scented candle burning on the dresser. Boone read the label and learned that the scent was called **lemon lavender**. It was a comforting scent, really relaxing.

 _ **Damn she's extremely neat, you could literally eat off the fucking floor. I don't know where she bought that candle either but it really adds an inviting feel to this place, sure as hell smells good. If I didn't know any better, I would say this was her home.**_

* * *

"So what's the deal with you and Jill?" Cass asked.

"I don't know." Ringo replied. "She's pretty and has a great personality, big heart, ya know?"

"And?" Cass probed. "That's all? You guys fucked, so are you some lame ass couple or something?"

"No. I don't want to be in a relationship with her. The sex was amazing, definitely the best I've ever had, but she's not my type. I just don't know how to tell her. Sure I might have looked at her differently when that happened, but the longer we travel together the more I'm starting to see her as a little sister."

"Dude, that's some sick shit. You fucked your sister." Cass laughed.

"Fuck off." Ringo quipped. "I'm not into that kind of shit. Might float your boat, but that doesn't get me off."

"Wouldn't you like to know what gets me off." Cass scoffed. "You don't have what it takes to handle this."

"You're the last person I'd stick my dick in." Ringo toyed. "Your pussy is probably made of dust."

 _ **That little motherfucker. Who does he think he's talking to? My pussy is a fucking temple. Motherfuckers are blessed to get a taste of this twat.**_

In that instant, Cass couldn't control herself. Ringo was sitting on the bed and she lunged at him. She knocked him down onto his back and tore his pants off. Before Ringo even had time to react she had taken his briefs off too. She quickly pulled down her pants and panties, noticing that he was aroused. Her pussy dripped when she saw how big he was. She crawled on top of his and sat down on his upper thighs. She pushed her crotch forward, letting his dick graze her lips. She felt his cock throb and couldn't help but throb herself. The feeling of his cock rubbing up against her pussy was unbearable. She thrust her hips forward again, this time slower. She watched as his head slowly slid up her slit, his shaft following pursuit. She continued teasing his cock, and her vagina, for several more minutes. She smiled as he let out a soft moan. As she thrust her hips, he followed her motion. The head of his cock slid inside of her a little causing her body to shudder with pleasure. She smiled at him viciously as she got up and adjusted herself. She sat back down and his cock slide inside of her. She clenched as his cock throbbed inside of her. She began to ride his cock, clenching the whole time. She slowly slid up and all of his cock except for the very tip of his head came out of her, then she pounded her body back down forcefully. She wanted it hard and rough. She picked up the pace and the sound of his balls slapping her ass echoed around the room. Ringo began thrusting back, their bodies in sync. Cass ripped open her flannel shirt and picked up the pace. Her breasts bounced wildly as she arched her back. She couldn't get enough. Eight inches deep wasn't enough, she wanted more. She craved it. She had one final trick up her sleeve but she was saving that for the end. Ringo sat up, pulling her close to him and their lips met. Their tongues clashed violently; hastily. Ringo picked up the pace, pounding harder. He shifted his weight and rolled her over. Cass was on her back with her arms spread out. Ringo watched her tits bouncing as he fucked her with all the vigor he had. Cass grabbed the back of his neck and pulled his face to hers. They continued their lustful kiss, Cass rolling her hips every time he pushed himself deeper inside of her. Ringo broke their kiss to tell her he was getting close and that only made Cass work even harder. She wrested him back down onto the bed, she was on top again. She quickly got up and began to suck his cock. She put her skills to the test and took his whole shaft into her mouth. She felt his body tighten up in pleasure and knew it was doing the trick. Before she could do anything, Ringo grabbed her hair and held her face there. He began to slowly thrust his cock in and out of her mouth. Cass didn't want it to end like this. As he fucked her face she became the wettest she had ever been. She was dripping onto the sheets and decided she was going to use her ace in the hole. She started fingering herself in order to sedate her hunger for his cock. When it wasn't working, she stopped him and straddled him. She grabbed his cock and held it tight and slid herself down on it again. Ringo thrust as hard as he could, and Cass met that force. She continued to be rough with his cock, feeling an orgasm build up. Ringo was slowing his pace and Cass wasn't having it.

"Don't stop." Cass moaned. "I'm about to cum!"

Ringo picked the pace up again, his cock covered in her fluids. He felt her pussy begin to constrict and knew she was reaching her climax. He began rotating his hips as he thrust back inside of her, his cock hitting all the right spots. In a matter of seconds he felt her pulsate and scream in ecstasy. As he continued to thrust he felt her juices running down his cock and balls towards his ass. He was getting close too, and let her know. Cass quickly got up before he got any closer, adjusted her position and grabbed his shaft. She guided his head towards her asshole, and slowly slid down. His head entered inside of her, and she let out a soft moan. His cock throbbed as she slowly allowed his shaft inside of her backdoor.

"I want you to cum inside of me." She moaned. "I'm not having any fucking kids though."

Cass saw him nod in agreement as she fit the rest of his dick inside of her. Ringo began to thrust upward and she pushed down. They picked up the pace and she felt his cock stiffen. He was going to blow any second. She clenched and unclenched her hole with each thrust, adding to his pleasure.

"Ooohhhh, yeeeaaahhh." Cass moaned. "Fuck me, aaaahhh, mmmm, oooooh yeah, fuck me."

"I'm cumming!" Ringo exclaimed.

She felt his cock shoot inside of her. He was hard as a rock and for a minute straight he kept pumping her up with his babies. The inside of her asshole warmed with each squirt, the sensation causing her to orgasm again. Her fluid shot out all over Ringo's abdomen. She felt him thrust up in a final squirt, and in a moment, their bodies stopped. Cass slowly got up; cum dripping out of her as she did.

Cass made her way towards the bathroom and turned to meet his gaze before she disappeared around the corner.

"She still the best fuck you ever have?" Cass asked.

Before Ringo could even answer she turned the corner and entered the bathroom. They were late and she didn't have much time to cleanup before they set out.

 _ **God that was some really good fucking sex. His cock is like magic, no wonder Jill was in such a good mood. That'll teach him to say I'm the last person he'd stick his dick in. Fucker.**_

* * *

They were late and Jill just wanted to get the ball rolling. Her and Boone decided to pay Manny a visit before stopping by their room to see if they were ready. As Jill made her way up the steps leading to the snipers nest she felt a knot in her stomach. She couldn't help but feel nervous. The closer they were getting to finding Benny, they more she realized she could die.

 _ **You already cheated death once Jilly, but that doesn't mean the second time will work out as well. Then again, I didn't have the friends that are watching my back that I do now.**_

Jill shook the thought from her head. There was no use worrying about it until she needed to. She opened the door to the snipers nest and greeted Manny.

"Hey, we took care of that problem for you." Jill stated.

"What the fuck did you guys do there? I saw three spaceships launch!" Manny asked.

"We got rid of the ghouls and some super mutants." Jill smiled. "Now about Manny?"

"Right. I guess a deal is a deal." Many sighed. "They said they were heading to **Boulder City** , but don't tell them I told you, it could get me killed."

"Thanks Manny, I'm sure underneath it all you're a sweet guy even though you made me do all that just to tell me those assholes went to Boulder City. Good luck with Novac."

Jill turned around before Manny could say anything else. She wanted to remind him that he was an asshole for making her do that rather than just telling her. Boone smirked at her comment and she knew they would get along great. She was happy he decided to tag along, he was one hell of a shot; definitely better than her.

Jill pounded on Cass and Ringo's door. She just wanted to get going. She was rewarded when the door opened and they were both ready, weapons locked and loaded. She told them they were headed for Boulder City and Cass grunted.

"Fucking hate that place." Cass explained. "It's literally a shit hole. Giant bomb or something went off and turned it into a crater, the only good thing they have there is a bar."

"That's not what happened to Boulder City." Boone interjected. "The NCR and Legion were battling for The Hoover Dam and the NCR had set a trap. They were able to lure The Legion to Boulder City and they had mines and bombs scattered all over. Anyway when The Legion stepped foot inside of the city and were within range, the NCR detonated those bombs, resulting in the current Boulder City. It's not a very large town and mostly just a place people pass through when traveling since it's so close to the Hoover Dam and the 188 Trading Post. It's also close to The Strip so people stop and rest there at the Saloon. There's an NCR memorial there to commemorate the soldiers who have fallen during that battle."

"I don't think that's right." Jill looked at the ground. "I'm sorry Boone, but I don't think the NCR is that great… I don't think they're good guys either. They are greedy and only want power. They wouldn't even protect Primm until they realized the trade route there would benefit them and they could tax the citizens. They have a lot of nerve…"Jill sighed, her tone low and full of disgust. "They… They had no right using a town as a trap and blowing most of it up in order to win a stupid battle with Caesars Legion. And I don't think there should be a memorial for those who fell because they didn't care whose home or business they ruined in Boulder City. They're inconsiderate. The Mojave would be better off without them."

"I won't argue with you that they are greedy." Boone added. "But I think there are factions out there that are far worse than the NCR. They protect their citizens and are trying to bring balance to the world. I don't agree with all of their methods but I do think they mean well. I see both sides of the coin here, I left them for a reason, but I wouldn't go as far as to say those who died don't deserve a memorial."

"You're wrong." Jill's tone cold. "The NCR doesn't protect their people. They extort them. They force them to become citizens and pay taxes in exchange for protection. And even then, they don't extend that helping hand to everyone, just the people who reside in a profitable place for them. You're right that there are worse factions out there, like The Legion, but the NCR isn't that much better."

"Look Jill," Boone sighed. "I don't want to argue with you. That wasn't my intention. I just wanted to explain their side so you can better understand. I agree with most of what you said, but anyone who has died to protect the world from The Legion deserves a memorial at the least. I don't think it should have been placed at Boulder City but that's where those men died fighting for their people. You, of all people, know how I feel about The Legion, so I'm not sorry that Boulder City suffered the consequences of the NCR's wrath against The Legion, but it is unfortunate.

 _ **Ugh what the fuck. I mean I understand how he feels, but he shouldn't be okay with a town being blown up just to kill some Legion assholes. I guess it's better to just agree to disagree. I'll have to make a mental note about what I say when The Legion is involved. Boone seems like a good guy deep down inside, he just has some issues to work through.**_

Jill shrugged it off and asked if anyone needed to make some last minute purchases before they head out. Jill turned on her heel and began to head towards the outskirts of town when nobody spoke up. Boulder City was only a couple of hours away, three, maybe five at most. Jill looked down at her Pip Boy and noted that it was a little past noon. They fell into formation as they set out. Ringo was in the lead, followed by Cass, while Jill took the rear with Boone. Jill was actually happy she could rest her reflexes. It wasn't easy taking point and being the one everyone relied on to spot danger first. Jill would take this opportunity to learn a little bit more about Boone.

"Hey Boone, you got a minute?"

"What's up?" Boone's tone flat.

"Tell me a little bit about yourself." She offered a warm smile.

"Not much to tell that you don't already know." Boone grunted.

"Well aside from the little I do know; tell me your favorite color or maybe your favorite food. Just give me something." Jill probed.

"Like I said." Boone began. "There isn't much to tell. Favorite food and colors are irrelevant. They aren't going to do you any good to know."

"Wow. Here I thought I might actually get to know you since you're tagging along but I guess you would rather just stay quiet and look intimidating."

"I'm not the talking type Jill." Boones voice stern.

"Thanks Boone, good talk." Jill scoffed.

* * *

Boone felt bad. He didn't mean to upset Jill but he wasn't a talker. Small details were unimportant and he would be distracted anyway. How could he make sure she's safe if he's not paying attention to their surroundings. Jill didn't need to know about his past. He was a terrible person and he didn't want her to think any less of him.

 _ **What the fuck does it even matter? She's not interested in me so even if I told her I was a piece of shit it wouldn't change anything. Maybe one day I'll open up to her. I just need time.**_

Before Boone could continue his thought he heard gunfire. Cass had opened fire on some raiders in the mountains, Ringo and Jill joining in. Jill managed a headshot on the closest enemy, while Ringo and Cass focused on the other three. Boone unholstered his sniper rifle and took aim. He fired, his shot hitting its mark. Blood spewed out like a fountain as the raider dropped down, and within an instant he fired two more shots, dropping the remaining enemies with ease. Boone shouldered his rifle and they continued on.

Boones sense were on high alert. There were cliffs on each side of them which put them at a huge disadvantage. Any savage could ambush them any second. He despised feeling like he was trapped but reminded himself he's been in worse situations.

 _ **It all boils down to Bitter Springs. That operation fucked me up. The flashbacks are enough and shit like this triggers them. I just need to breathe and do my best to try and relax. There's nothing to get worked up about.**_

Boone noticed Jill took point, her rifle trained on her surroundings as she walked forward. There was a cone maybe fifty feet away from them in the middle of the road next to some old busted up cars. Jill was scouting the top of the cliffs as best as she could. As Jill got closer to the cone he heard something beeping. With each passing second the beeps picked up their pace. It was too late by the time everyone realized what it was.

 **BAAAAAMMMM!**

Boone broke out into a sprint as dirt and gravel rained down upon them. Panic stirred up inside of Boone when he couldn't see Jill through the thick cloud of dust and smoke. He pumped his arms, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He ignored the gunshots from overhead and heard Cass and Ringo return fire. As he drew closer to Jill's location the dust began to dissipate and he could barely make out a silhouette lying on the ground. He went into overdrive and was kneeling next to her within a matter of seconds.

His stomach was in knots and his heart pounded vigorously. Jill was lying on the ground unconscious. Blood splattered her body and her breathing was shallow. She was alive, but she was badly injured. Boone had basic medic training thanks to the NCR but her condition wasn't something that he could treat. He would be able to stabilize her wounds and buy them some time. But they needed a doctor; a good one. Ringo and Cass ceased fire, their gunfight over. They rushed over to Jill's side and Cass began to panic.

"Holy shit, holy shit, holy fucking shit!" Cass mumbled. "What the fuck man, Jesus Christ.."

"Calm down." Boone said, trying to maintain his composure. "I can dress her wounds and buy us some time. But we're going to need to get her near the strip. There's a place in Freeside that has some of the best medical doctors in the Mojave. They're called The Followers of the Apocalypse. Boulder City can wait, there's no use pursing whoever she's after if she dies."

Ringo fumbled through his pack and produced some alcohol, bandages, and a stimpack.

"This is all I have right now, if there is anything else you need, let me know."

"I need a clean cloth and some fresh water to clean the wound before applying the alcohol. She'll be less likely to get infections if I clean off her lacerations first." Boone added.

"Here." Cass ripped the sleeves off of her shirt and held them out. "Jill isn't going to die on us."

"She's always so careful, what do you think happened?" Ringo asked.

"I don't know." Cass sighed. "Be honest Boone, how does it look?"

"Bad." Boone's voice low and coarse. "I don't know if she'll make it. She's bleeding a lot, and truthfully she's lucky she didn't lose any limbs with how close she was to the mine. The odds are against us, and if I had to be honest, she'll probably bleed out before we can get her to Freeside."

"Fuck.." Cass fought back tears. "We need to move! Now!" Her voice broke as she screamed. "What the fuck are you waiting for?!"

Boone didn't waste another moment; Cass didn't need to tell him twice. He finished dressing her wounds and gave her a stimpack injection. He carefully picked her up, holding her in a laying position across his arms. Before anyone even had a chance to say another word, Boone took off running. As they rushed against the clock to get Jill to Freeside Boone couldn't help but feel like this was his fault. Maybe he should have just opened up a little bit to her; she wouldn't have been in the front if he did.

* * *

Jill's body ached. Her head hurt and she couldn't move. She had no energy; unable to even open her eyes. Her breathing was shallow and she winced in pain with each step whoever was carrying her took. She drifted in and out of consciousness, dreaming of a man and two children. She couldn't make out their faces, just silhouettes. She decided it was her husband and kids and smiled at the thought. As she dreamt of a family of her own, her body became limp, with the little bit of energy she had left, she buried her head in the nook of Boone's arm, fighting the urge to fall into what felt like it would be an eternal slumber.


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! Sorry I've been gone for a year. Don't really know why I'm so unreliable with this story. I'm sure you all hate me and don't even want to get back into the story so I apologize for that but it's not going to stop me from continuing to write it! So here's chapter 10!**

 _ **WARNING: THIS CHAPTER IS EXTREMELY GRAPHIC. THERE IS A SCENE WHERE THERE IS AN ATTACK THAT INDUCES A MISCARRIAGE. IF YOU WISH TO SKIP THIS PARAGRAPH, ONCE YOU READ "********_ _ **WAITED PATIENTLY AS HER HUSBAND FUMBLED WITH THE OLD, RUSTY LOCK TO THEIR FRONT DOOR."**_

 **For those of you who are still faithfully reading this fanfic I would like to thank you, and just know that you are awesome!** **  
**

* * *

Jill could hear the soothing music of rain pattering on the rooftop. The smell of petrichor, a sweet musky smell, surrounded her senses. It was comforting, the kind of smell that is only achieved when it rains after a dry spell. Her body ached; her eyes unwilling to open and her limbs exhausted. Darkness filled her vision and she couldn't help but wonder where her friends were. She felt alone; her inability to sense anyone else only adding to her solitude. Jill did her best to focus on the soothing sound of rain, as she willed herself to push through the pain; pleads for death to end her suffering invading her thoughts. She tried to open her eyes but to no avail.

* * *

The group split up; Boone and Cass ran off to scavenge for some food and firewood while Ringo stood behind with Jill. He pressed his lips against the bottle of vodka he stole from Boone and threw his head back, taking an enormous gulp. His senses were distorted and he couldn't tell if it was from the vodka or the sudden downpour that hit the Mojave; he didn't quite care. Jill was going to die. He knew it; they all did. He tried talking to her after they left, telling her she was strong and he couldn't wait for her to wake up. He told her she was beautiful while cracking jokes in hopes that it would, at the very least, make her smile, he told her that he still needed to give her that mini dinosaur he bought her back in Novac. When nothing seemed to be working he decided to give it a break and go outside.

The sky began to rumble, a monstrous clap echoed throughout the Mojave, followed by a thunderous boom, vigorous enough to send vibrations throughout his body. Ringo tried his best to balance himself as he stumbled backwards. He poked his head inside of the tent and Jill was sound asleep still. He had hoped the thunder would have jolted her awake. He couldn't stop thinking about her. They were all worried about her. They all wanted to protect her and when she needed them most, they had all failed her. He couldn't help but blame himself for not stopping her from taking point.

 _ **If only I noticed that damn mine sooner. That traffic cone was odd… I should have known it was a trap! It's my fault Jill got hurt. I should have been in front. It should have been me who got blown up. I can't deal with this shit.**_

Ringo looked down at the half empty bottle of vodka in his hand and chugged the rest. He was falling apart even though he needed to stay strong for everyone else. He hid it well, keeping his composure when Boone and Cass were around. Boone didn't seem phased by it at all. If Jill dies he'll just go back to Novac and live out the rest of his life watching over that town. Cass will go on to start a new caravan and he'll have nothing. He could go to the strip, maybe, but he wouldn't have anything to do there or anyone to go to. She saved his life and gave him a second chance when those Powder Gangers were going to kill him. At least with Jill around he had a purpose and something to do: repay that favor and protect the woman who he's come to look at as his little sister.

Ringo never could handle the death of someone dear. Cass was a mess. She spent most of the time trying to hide the fact that she was crying. She was extra bossy, yelling at everyone to hurry the fuck up, but it was only a front. She was channeling her fear into anger but Ringo could see right through her act.

Tears welled up behind Ringo's eyes and he fought the urge to blink. He knew once he blinked he would have to admit that things really were as bad as they were. He continued to fight the urge until the burning sensation overpowered his will. He closed his eyes and tears began falling. He fell to his knees burying his face in his hands and began to sob.

* * *

Cass didn't find much and the same could be said for Boone. Overall they found some prewar shit that could be used as a base for their campfire, the only problem being that all the wood they found was drenched. They found a metal trashcan in the little hut when they returned, tossing whatever papers they found into the makeshift fire pit. Cass went through the drawers of the decrepit dressers and turned up some socks, a tie and a t-shirt. She threw those in the trashcan and poured some of her whiskey on top. Boone struck a match and dropped it inside and they watched the fire roar to life. Boone went over to his pack and pulled out a small frying pan and Cass decided he was a smart man.

 _ **Of course he would be prepared. I mean after all, I'm sure he's used to being on his own…. Must have been rough and I can definitely relate.**_

Cass shook the thought from her head as they all gathered around the makeshift campfire and Boone began to grill their Salisbury Steak. They ate in silence; not a single word uttered. Instead they listened to the soothing melody the rain played for them. Cass noticed Boone glancing at Jill every couple of minutes, determining he was just as worried as they were even if he didn't show it. Boone finished his steak quickly and walked over to Jill's side. Cass watched him as he lifted her head gently, pouring purified water in her mouth. She took shallow sips but was otherwise unresponsive.

"This damn storm complicated things." Boone started. "We're stuck until it passes."

"It's just rain, we could still make it to a doctor." Ringo stated.

"I'm with Boone on this one." Cass sighed. "It's not just rain. We saw some lightning earlier and it's still thundering. We would be putting ourselves and Jill at risk, and I swear to fucking god if this bitch dies, there will be hell to fucking pay." Cass took a deep breathe, continuing. "I've been to a lot of shitty fucking places; I haven't lived in the Mojave my whole life. Back in Boston there were some really bad fucking storms. Radiation used to blow in randomly from The Glowing Sea and holy shit was that fucking bad. The only place you were safe was inside a goddamn house or some shit like that. The thunderstorms out there were just like this, and I know about two people who were struck by lightning and died. It's a small chance that we would get struck but I'm not risking that shit. Jill is too fucking important, to all of us."

"You're fucking kidding right?" Ringo slammed his hands down on the ground. "There's no fucking way I'm going to let rain get in the way of us saving Jill!"

"Calm down." The anger in Boone's voice was clear. "Or I'll knock you out. We don't need to be fighting. She might be unconscious but she can still hear us. So sit the fuck down and relax."

"Ringo!" Cass yelled before he could say anything else. "I don't like this shit either but we need to think about all the risks. Let's get some rest. This shit should pass in a couple of hours."

"Agreed." Boone replied. "Let's rest up while we can."

Ringo didn't bother to argue any longer; instead he grabbed his pack and turned it into a makeshift pillow. Boone followed his lead and they both proceeded to lie down on the floor. Cass took one last swig of her whiskey before joining them. She lied there with her eyes open, staring at the ceiling. She occasionally shifted her focus to Jill; making sure she was still breathing.

The others fell asleep quickly but Cass was wide awake. She was too worried about Jill to sleep and decided to get up and check on her. She pulled up the single chair they had next to Jill's bed and sat down. Jill looked terrible. Her body bruised and cut; blood seeping through her bandages. It pained Cass to see Jill like this. She missed her upbeat attitude and optimism; they could really use some of that right now. Cass reached out and grabbed Jill's hand and quickly withdrew. Jill's temperature was dropping; she was freezing cold. Cass hastily scanned the room in search of a blanket or some kind of jacket. She spotted an old tattered curtain. She ran over and grabbed it, noting that it was thicker than it looked. She quickly draped it over Jill and sat back down.

"Don't you fucking die on me, you hear?" Cass threatened. "I'll kick your fucking ass Jill."

Cass grabbed Jill's hand and held it tight. She closed her eyes and for the first time in her life; she prayed.

* * *

Jill had been slipping in and out of consciousness, trying to focus on the rainfall whenever she heard it. She felt as if she had been hit in the face by a Power Fist. Occasionally she would hear a loud boom and followed by a vibration.

 _ **I can feel something, that's gotta be a good sign!**_

Jill smiled at the thought as she slowly drifted back out of consciousness. She felt something warm touch her hand and relaxed at the sensation as she slowly drifted back into her dream world.

* * *

Boone was jolted out of his slumber by Cass. The rain had stopped and she was ready to get moving again. He gathered their things and picked Jill up while Cass woke Ringo. As soon as they were ready, they headed out. Boone stuck to the back, holding Jill tight while Cass and Ringo took point, ready to fire at anything that moved. They hurried along the battered strip of highway, their surroundings turning into a blur.

"We're going to pass the 188 Trading Post in a little bit, let's restock there and continue on, okay?" Ringo called out.

"Roger that fucker." Cass replied, giving him a thumbs up.

Boone snarled at them. They didn't have time to stop and shop around; Jill needed a doctor and fast. As they neared the outpost a woman in robes gasped. She ran over to them and began to speak.

"Oh my god! Please, let me help you!" The woman pleaded.

"We're in a rush." Boone said. "We need to get her to The Followers of the Apocalypse in Freeside ASAP."

"That's fine. I can stabilize her condition. I have a decent amount of medical knowledge." She informed the group. "Lie her down on the ground and let's see what I can do. What happened to her?"

"A mine." Cass admitted.

"She's lucky she didn't lose any limbs." She began to examine Jill. "Alright, I have some good news and some bad news. Good news is that her wounds have begun to clot which is stopping the bleeding. The bad news is that she's lost a lot of blood and her chances of survival right now are low. Let me grab a couple things and I'll be right back."

The robed woman took off before anyone could interject, leaving them to wait in anticipation.

"You guys go stock up; I'm going to wait with Jill." Boon ordered.

Without missing a beat Ringo and Cass took off to do some trading. Boone spotted the woman running towards them with supplies in her hand.

"If you're squeamish then I suggest you look away." She stated.

She grabbed a needle and stuck it in Jill's arm, taking a couple tries before she found a vein. She then proceeded to connect a blood pack to it and squeezed it slowly. She handed it to Boone and instructed him to do the same as she did. He obliged and she continued her work. She had a medical brace and attached it to her right leg stating that it was most likely broken. She then injected her with three stimpacks, hoping that it would buy the group enough time to get Jill to Freeside. She also stated that it should help with any pain she might be feeling.

"That's about all I can do for her here. I'll help you guys get her to Freeside."

"Thank you but it's dangerous and we don't need more people slowing us down." Boone said coldly.

"What?!" The woman was annoyed. "I can handle my own. Just let me help you get her to Freeside!"

"Why do you care what happens to her? You've done enough already, we don't need another person to look after." Boone added.

"I wanted to help her, for two reasons if you must know. For one, she was injured and believe it or not I'm one of the few people in the wasteland that actually cares about others. And second, she has a Pip Boy 3000 and I want to ask her about it when she gets better." The woman admitted.

Cass and Ringo joined back up with them and caught the end of the conversation.

"So what do you say? I'm not a defenseless little girl." She whipped out a power fist and smiled.

"Just let her tag along Boone." Cass said casually. "The more the fucking merrier."

"Fine." Boone's tone flat. "What's your name?"

"Veronica! At your service." She smiled from ear to ear.

"Nice to meet ya, I'm Cass. That's Boone that you've been dealing with." She smiled. "And that fucker over there is Ringo."

"Howdy." Ringo shook Veronica's hand.

"It's so nice to formally meet you guys. But I think we've wasted enough time here, right Boone?" She tilted her head and smiled as she closed her eyes.

Boone grunted and picked Jill back up. He wasn't happy about yet another traveling companion but was sure Jill wouldn't mind when she woke up.

 _ **If she wakes up….**_

Ringo took point this time while Cass covered the rear. Veronica was keeping a steady pace next to Boone, changing blood packs as needed as they ran towards Freeside. If anyone got close Boone figured Veronica could fight them off while he fled with Jill and the others. Nothing was going to get in their way of saving her.

* * *

Vulpes couldn't stop thinking about that woman from Nipton. The way her tits bounced around as she fought ferociously. He made sure to assign some of his men to keep tabs on her. When one of them reported back that she had been injured and her friends were rushing to get her to Freeside he felt anger.

 _ **How dare they allow such a magnificent woman to be injured that severely! I have to do something! That woman can't die unless it's at my hands after I have my way with her.**_

Vulpes decided he needed to keep a closer eye on her personally. He grabbed his belongings and went to go see Caesar. He would ask for permission to go and spy on the dissolute that littered The Strip. Freeside was only two days away. It would take some persuading but Caesar always gave into him and let him do whatever he wanted. He would see that woman again and when he did, he was going to make her beg for it.

* * *

There was a little girl whose hand was intertwined with a man's. She giggled as they watched the sunset paint the sky a crisp orange. Sun shafts peeked through the trees as the setting sun reflected off a lake in the distance. A smile was all that could be seen on the little girls face. The man opened his mouth but his words were mute. The little girl giggled some more and clenched his hand tighter. The image shifted; it was the little girl again. She was sitting at a table with a bowl of noodles in front of her. She took a gulp of her Nuka Cola and continued to eat. A man patted her on the head gently, offering a smile. His face was rugged; wrinkled and weathered. He had a vertical scar on his face, starting above his eyebrow and ending a couple inches under his eye. Music played in the background; people flooding the tables all around them.

These scenes stirred up a feeling of warmth inside of Jill; she belonged here. The images changed once again..

There was blood everywhere; all that could be heard were the cries of a little girl. The man that was always smiling was lying on the floor dead; the man that brought her so much comfort. A gun was pressed up against the little girls temple. There were two men sporting extravagant suits. They demanded she come with them. When she refused, they insisted, dragging the little girl off; townsfolk hearing nothing but her wailing cry. She pleaded with the men, begging them to let her go; they had other plans for her.

The images changed several times now, depicting pictures of her going through vigorous training. Hand to hand combat, marksmanship, and stealth. They taught her how to lock pick, how to fight with a blade, and how to fight with a pole. Over the course of the next several years she honed her skills. She excelled at hand to hand combat and stealth. She was a decent shot, ranking 3rd in her class of kidnapped children. They did their best to brainwash her, but she was able to retain a portion of her true self. Her will was strong. When she didn't listen, they would beat her. They used fear to control all who opposed them. Jill quickly learned what the consequences of disobedience brought. She always did what she was told; then one day she snapped. She watched her only friend in that hellhole get beaten to death. She used her wit and skills over the following months to plan her revenge.

Armed with just a knife and bobby pin, Jill went to work. She picked the lock to her room door with ease; quickly dropping into a crouch and hugging the shadows. They trained her well; it was their biggest mistake. She disposed of the guards she came across with ease. They didn't see- or hear- her coming. As she made her way to their leader's quarters, all she could think about was slowly slitting his throat. She approached his door and held her knife close. She slowly slid the door open; careful not to make a sound. As she stepped through the doorway a hand grabbed her throat and shoved her against the wall. Her eyes widened as she saw the man kick her knife across the room after she accidentally dropped it. The man who killed her father and her only friend was staring in the face. His eyes were cold; his face riddled with scars. His jawline was strong, his hair short, and his nose defined. He was clean cut; the hair on his head maybe an inch long. He was trying to snuff the life out of her.

Her training kicked in. She grabbed his forearm, digging her chin down into his hand. She took her other hand and forcefully palmed his elbow upward. She was rewarded with the sound of a crack. She wasted no time; she raised her arms into a defensive stance and shot out a quick jab. It connected with his face and stunned him long enough for her to assess her surroundings. The only weapon she had access to were her surroundings, she just needed to find something she could utilize.

In a fit of rage, her captor charged at her. As he threw a punch at her, she quickly ducked and extended her leg, using his momentum against him, and connected her foot with his knee. He let out a scream of pain and his bones gave way, causing his knee to bend backwards. He fell to the ground and Jill wasted no time snatching her assailants knife out of his holster.

"This is for my father…and for Kaiden."

Those were the last words that man would ever hear as she slid his knife across his throat. Jill was showered in blood as it spewed out of the gash. She spat on his body as he bled out. She spotted his terminal and clicked it to life. She overrode the locking system, freeing all of the captives. She used this to her advantage as she made her way to the armory; the riot neutralizing any resistance she would have met. She grabbed enough C-4 from the armory to destroy a town. She planted the charges and made her way over to the intercom system. She advised anyone still living to evacuate immediately before she blew this prison to hell.

It only took her five minutes to get out of the building and far enough from the blast radius. Once she felt she was safe, she took cover and pushed the button on her detonator. She watched the night sky light up red, chunks of cement and metal flying in every direction. Her hair blew wildly as the shockwave reached her. Dancing flames began to fade as she ventured further away from whatever innocence she left behind. On that day, a killer was born.

* * *

Veronica did her best to keep Jill alive as they rushed to Freeside. She noticed Jill was stirring around, her body jolting every now and them. Jill's hand twitched randomly, as if she was having a nightmare. She examined Jill more carefully as best as she could while they ran, and noticed what she feared most.

"We gotta pick up the pace guys!" Veronica shouted. "She's begging to enter the REM state of her sleep, which isn't a good sign."

Cass grunted. "What the fuck is REM?"

"Rapid eye movement." Veronica explained.

"Isn't that good though? It means she's dreaming." Ringo questioned.

"Right, under normal circumstances it would be. This is just speculation but if I had to guess, I would have to say that her life is flashing before her eyes so to speak. It's the brains way of coping with impending death." Veronica sighed. "I could be wrong, and trust me, I hope I am but I've seen this before. Her body is twitching and I'm afraid she might go into shock. If she does, we'll most likely lose her."

Veronica hoped more than anything she was wrong. They picked up the pace as much as they could as they raced against the clock. If her calculations were correct they would reach The Followers of the Apocalypse in an hour if they kept this pace.

* * *

Jill was barely clinging to life. She had been wandering the desert for four days now with little water and no food. Her stomach was in knots and she felt as though she was going to pass out any second. She saw a figure in the distance and waved her arms as she called out for help.

 _ **Please don't let this be a mirage. I can't die out here. Not after finally breaking free.**_

The figure drew closer and she couldn't make out any of their features. It was just a black shadow.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" A voice called out. "If it isn't the woman who has been a thorn in my side. My scouts reported your headquarters blew up, how fortunate for you that you survived." The voice was cold, lacking any sympathy for her condition. "You took out more than half of my lieutenants while under Baldwins employ. I should kill you where you stand."

"I'd like to see you try, fucker." Jill spat. Her body was weak but she wasn't going down without a fight.

"See, that's the attitude I love." The figure chuckled. "I could kill you, but that would be a waste of talent. It's also not my style to off someone who is already on the brink of death. I have a proposition for you."

"You'd better kill me now." Jill's voice cold. "There's nothing you could say that I would agree too."

"That's a shame." The voice purred. "And to think, I could have helped you track down the people who murdered your mother if you would have just accepted to work for me."

"You liar!" Jill said aggressively, unable to control her emotions. "My mother died because she was sick!"

"That's not true." They claimed. "Your father, Marcus, only told you that to spare you the truth. She was kidnapped and murdered. I have it all recorded. I have eyes and ears everywhere in The Mojave, child."

They dropped a holotape on the ground, and a bag full of caps.

"The nearest town is three clicks northwest of here. Get yourself fixed up and a meal. Play the tape, and I'll be in contact with you in a couple days."

The figure disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared. Jill stared at the ground for a moment. She swallowed hard and picked up the holotape and bag. She made her way northwest. She would at least find out what was on the tape.

Jill managed to reach the town in a couple hours and found an inn. She ordered a hot meal and some refreshing water, heading to her room after she finished. There was an old terminal on a desk and she popped the tape in and began to watch it. Tears fell from her eyes as she watched her mother get beaten, gang raped, and murdered. Her heart broke all over again. As she lied down, she made up her mind; she was going to do whatever it took to avenge her mother's death, just like she did with her father and Kaiden.

Once again the scene changed. A tall, muscular man held her close, whispering sweet words into her ear. She blushed at his touch, his words melting her heart. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead and smiled warmly. They exchanged the words 'I love you' and set off to their destination; their home. Jill was married, in love, and the happiest she had ever been in her life. This man swept her off her feet, accepting her, even her constant paranoia. Her past didn't scare him away; she told him everything.

Jill was having trouble piecing together the timeline of everything she's seen so far, but that was fine. She was enjoying this moment of her life. The last time she was truly this happy was before her father was murdered. Their fingers were intertwined as they made their way down the old, dusty highway.

Her memory changed again. She was three months pregnant, and *%&^#$ has given her time off from 'work' until she had the baby. Her husband was ecstatic when she told him the news. She wanted nothing more than to have a family, and her wish was finally coming true. Nothing in the world could ruin this feeling, it was pure bliss. Before she could enjoy the moment any longer, her brain fast forwarded once again.

* * *

Arcade was sitting in his tent reading when he heard a commotion outside. There was yelling, followed by a lot of profanity. Arcade decided to peek outside, instantly regretting it.

"Hey you!" A redheaded woman screamed. "She's fucking dying and these dickwads won't do anything to fucking help her."

"Quickly, get her in here!" Arcade yelled. "I assure you it's just a misunderstanding; we're here to help everyone."

"Well then help my fucking friend!" The red head spat.

 _ **Sheesh, I can already tell I'm going to have a hard time with this one.**_

"Calm down Cass." A man said. He sported a barrette with the NCR logo on it. "Yelling isn't going to make them help us."

"I need to know what happened to your friend, and then to examine her to properly assess the situation." Arcade said as he waved over a couple assistants.

A short woman wearing scribe robes and equipped with a Power Fist explained the situation and informed Arcade of her medical assessments, as well as informing him what she was able to do to prolong her survival.

"Put her down on the table." Arcade commanded. "Nurse, I need forceps, some medical braces, bandages, disinfectants, a scalpel, and a needle… Oh and some surgical suture."

Arcade removed her bandages and examined her injuries. They were worse than they looked. It's a miracle she's survived this long. This woman has a strong will to survive, that's for sure. He turned and addressed the group.

"I need all of you to wait outside. This is going to take a while and I'm going to do my best to save your friend. I'm not going to lie, it doesn't look good and it's a miracle she hasn't died yet. However, the fact that she _has_ survived this long is a good sign, now if she can only hold out a little longer."

"I'm not leaving her side." The group said in harmony.

"I understand you're concerned about her, but the best thing you can do for her right now is to wait outside and let me do my job. I don't mean to sound harsh but you will only get in my way."

With a symphony of sighs, they reluctantly exited the tent. Arcade made a request for anesthesia, and began getting to work. It would take a lot of careful precision to get the shrapnel out of her.

* * *

Jill waited patiently as her husband fumbled with the old, rusty lock to their front door. The key finally turned and they were rewarded with a soft click. He turned the knob and they walked through their doorway. As Jill closed the door behind them, she heard footsteps and quickly turned to see four men inside their house. One had a metal baseball bat, another had a knife, and the remaining two pointed shotguns directly as them.

"It's nothing personal." One of the men announced. "Just doing our job."

Jill's husband quickly stepped in front of her to shield her when one of the men opened fire. The shotgun blast blowing out his kneecap, and he collapsed to the ground. Jill was nearing the end of her second trimester but that wasn't going to stop her from defending her family. She thanked her paranoia for making her carry a knife on her at all times. She quickly snapped the sheath on her belt off and grabbed her knife. She threw it as hard as she could and watched as the blade disappeared in the knife wielding thugs skull. His body dropped and in an instant, one of the gunmen smacked her knee with the barrel of his shotgun. She dropped to the ground and let out a cry. Her husband crawled towards her, fear in his eyes. The thug with the baseball bat brought it down on him, and a metal _ping_ could be heard as it connected with his back. He grunted in pain as Jill watched it all unfold.

"Get her first." One thug called out.

Jill turned her focus on the closest thug as he made his way over to her. She scouted her surroundings and cursed herself for not having anything she could utilize as a weapon near her. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain in her stomach as the thug swiftly kicked her. She screamed out in fear.

 _ **Not my baby! I'll fucking kill all of them before I let them hurt my baby!**_

One of the shotgun thugs forced her husband to watch as they kicked and punched her in the stomach. The one with the bat swung hard, and she felt a warm liquid seeping out of her vagina as the blow connected with her stomach. Jill began screaming relentlessly as her husband watched her bleed as they began to lose their baby. She screamed at the top of her lungs, calling out for help. The thugs were laughing as she bled out, entering the premature labor of their most likely dead baby. Her white sundress now stained crimson red. She pleaded for them to stop, causing them to laugh harder. She watched as they shifted their attention to her husband, and her gaze met his. She whispered 'I love you' and he tearfully replied 'I love you too' before the thug pulled the trigger. His head exploded and blood and brain matter sprayed in every direction. Jill screamed out, her heart breaking as she loses the two things she cherished most in this world.

"This is just a warning. Tell *^&%$ not to fuck with us."

As the thugs left Jill began to crown. She pushed through the sobs, knowing all too well that her baby didn't survive. After what felt like forever, Jill was left crying, clinging onto their would be baby, in a pool of blood as she stared at her husband's headless body.

* * *

Just as Arcade was confident that the woman on his operating table would survive, she made a turn for the worse. Her body started convulsing and she began to bleed from her ears and nose. She was going into shock. The heart monitor began beeping rapidly, and seconds later her friends were running into the tent. Screams and curses were flying all around the room and Arcade was doing his best.

"I need 30 CC's stat!" Arcade yelled as the nurses fumbled to bring him the medicine hastily.

He quickly injected her with a liquid and watched as her body began to convulse violently, she was having a seizure. He counted the seconds, praying she would stabilize.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven." Arcade continued to count.

At twelve seconds she flat lined and he quickly began to perform CPR.

"Get me the paddles A-S-A-P!" He commanded.

He applied pressure to her upper left side of her chest, pushing down heavily as he pumped her chest while counting to five. He pinched her nose shut and blew air into her mouth. He continued this process four more times before they brought the paddles. Screams and cries echoed though the tent as her friends panicked.

Arcade ripped her shirt open and placed the paddles on her bare chest. "Clear!" He yelled, and her body jolted, but to no avail. Once again, he pressed the paddles to her chest. "Clear!" But nothing happened. He repeated the process two more times, but her heart was still stopped. A nurse had an old fashioned breathing mechanism attached to Jill's mouth, squeezing the balloon shaped section repeatedly. Arcade pressed the paddles to her chest one last time. "Clear!"

He looked at his watch and opened his mouth. "Time of death: 13:45" He sighed.

The red head let out a shriek and began crying uncontrollably.

Just as Arcade was about to take off his surgical mask and gloves, Jill jolted upward and let out an ear piercing scream.

" _ **AAAAAAAHHHHHHH! GAAAAAAAAAAHHHH! AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!"**_

Before Arcade could give her more anesthesia; her body fell limp on the operating table, and her heart faintly began beating again. He couldn't believe that her heart had started up again on its own, and that she stabilized so quickly. The room filled with a symphony of relieved sighs.

"She seems to have stabilized, it shouldn't be much longer. I've removed most of the shrapnel and stitched her up. Just a little bit longer and I'll be finished. Afterwards we'll need to keep an eye on her and make sure her condition doesn't worsen." Arcade offered them a smile as he shooed them out of the tent again.


End file.
